Effect of sowing time on the performance of pigeonpea genotypes

A field experiment was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab) during kharif 2005 and 2006 to study the effect of three sowing dates (May 15, June 1 and June 15) on growthand yield of four pigeonpea genotypes (‘AL 201’, ‘AL 1492’, ‘AL 1507’ and ‘AL 1514’). Crop sown on June 1 recorded the highest nodules/plant and noduledry weight. Crop sown on May15 accumulated 515 and 173 highergrowing degree days (GDD) than crop sown on June 15 for 50% flowering in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Similarly, crop sown on May 15 accumulated 322 and278 higher GDD than June 15 sown crop for maturity in 2005 and 2006, respectively. May 15 sown crop produced significantly higher grain yield (10.3 and 35.0% in 2005 and15.6 and 18.9% in2006, respectively) than June1 and June 15 sown crop, respectively. Among the genotypes, ‘AL 1507’ produced the highest nodule number and dry weight of nodules/plant. However, genotype ‘AL 1492’ gave significantly higher grain yield than all other genotypes and took maximum duration as well as growing degree days for flowering (50%) and maturity.