Production Aspects of Pigeonpea and Future Prospects

The currenr producrron of prgeonpeo in rhe semi-arid tropics ir principily confrned ro the Indian rubconr~nrnt fprrlculariv lndra and Myanmar), rostern and sourhern Africa, and rhe ~i r i b b e o n .Except In c us ria ha where CXVNII'C commrrciol producrion has recently becn corolyzcd.rhe cuia.wron of p~gconpco is pracrrced by small farmers ro meet domesrlc needs for food (as dry grain.splir dhal, and grecn vegerableJ, and for animal f e d and fuel wood: to product o markernbir surpiusfor cash income, and lo form an impormnt component of imercropprng in cereai-based producrion rysrems for susrarnnbdiry, and risk avers~on The producrion is constrained by rhe currenr culriwrion procrdces; less producrr,,e lond-resource ollocor~on.excess wafer or drought stress peculiar to minfed agrrculrure.and losses caused by d~seases andpesrs.and long-duro.lion cuirrvars of 160-250 days.Orher probiems are; i~dequrrrr supporr for rrchnology genemrion and rrs rmsfer, rhe lack of srress.r?risront, high-yielding genorypes.agrowmic monok.ement,new producrion sysrems, and lock of uri1i:arron research and promorion, both of processed and row material, for human and anrmal consumplion.The future prospecrs for enhanced and sustained producrion are bnghr, in rho! new short.durarioncuirivors (90-130 days) make pigeonpea a m e ~b l e lo field-scale culriwrion as a sole cror, in several oroducrion nsrems invoivinn mulripie cropping.both under rainfed and rrrigared farming sysrems.New nenowors in rhe lonp-dwarion arouo with srable resistances ro major diseases -. -&o;z' wn wiir ond skriliv mosaic disease) are availabie.They wiil conrribrue lo rhe rmprwemenr of rhe l r a d i l r o ~/ intercropping or mixed cropping producrron *em of a n n u l crops, and sbn-lived perennial to alley and agroforesrry vrtcms.Howoer, insrabiliry of producrion under rainfed condirionr caused by excess or reduced ramfoil, i nd diseases andpesrs, sr~ii remain major issuesfor research rn the short-duration group of culrivors.1 mmpl Rua Brredrr.l n r r n v l d Cmp R b h t u r for !heSemn-hid T -(ICRISAT).Pa.wrhru, h P 932 324, Id,& M y Rincipl R g s m p A @ m d i a ICWSAT.U o OAUmRC.J.P. 31 SAKIRAD.P.