Inoculum
Pigeon peas require inoculation with the Group J inoculant. Nodules can be difficult to find in high nitrogen soils, but the plant should nodulate quite freely in low nitrogen soils. Nodulation can be erratic on alkaline black clay soils.
Fertiliser
On phosphorus-deficient soils, apply phosphate fertiliser at the rates recommended for sunflowers.
Zinc deficiency may occur on alkaline clay soils. Application of foliar zinc in this situation will result in a quick response. Soil applications can overcome zinc deficiency for 5 years and longer.
Pigeon pea hosts VAM fungi, allowing the crop to gain access to phosphorus and zinc in the soil and fertiliser.
Weed control
As mentioned previously, pigeon pea grows slowly as a seedling, and as such is a poor competitor with weeds. There are a number of herbicides available for grass and broadleaf weed control. Refer to NSW Agriculture’s Weed Control in Summer Crops. Inter-row cultivation can be used successfully when the crop is sown in wide rows.
Insects
Heliothis is the major pest of pigeon pea, and can completely devastate a crop if not correctly managed. Regular crop checking should begin as soon as the first flowers appear. Checking should be carried out two or three times a week during flowering. Eggs are laid in and around flowers, so you should time the spraying to control the hatching larvae.
The importance of adequate checking and insect control cannot be overstated for two reasons:
- The crop is attractive to heliothis, which can substantially decrease yields.
- The strategy to overcome the insecticide resistance problem in the summer-cropping belt of northern NSW depends on the astute and responsible use of the insecticides now available. Compliance with the strategy restrictions on the use of pyrethroids and the proper timing of applications of other chemicals is essential to maintain the efficacy of these compounds.
Other insect pests that can cause problems are cutworms at the establishment stage and grass blue butterfly during the vegetative stage (first 4 weeks), particularly when crops are moisture stressed. Thrips, mirids, green vegetable bug and pod sucking bug can also damage crops during flowering and podding.
Pigeon pea is resistant to root lesion nematode, and aids the build-up of beneficial VAM fungi in the soil.
Harvesting
The perennial nature of pigeon pea results in green leaves and often flowers being present on the plant when the older pods have matured and dried. Frosts will cause leaf drop and make harvesting easier. Grading may be required to remove residual green leaf material. Crops planted in December to January will generally be ready for harvest in May–June.
Crops can be desiccated with defoliants, which will reduce the amount of green material thathas to pass through the header. Crops will be ready for harvest some 10 to 12 days afterapplication.
The flowering and configuration of the plant mean that seed is well presented for harvest.Conventional open-front headers will successfully harvest the crop, although (as with most grain legumes) rotary harvesters are preferred.
Slow drum speeds of 350 to 400 rpm are required to minimise seed cracking. The use of low-speed bat reels appears to cause less shattering, as the crop is swept back from thecutter bar. Separator sieve and wind settings should be similar to those used for soybean harvesting.
Mature pods are quite tolerant of weather damage.
Yields
Yields of up to 3 t/ha have been recorded under very favourable seasonal conditions. Yieldsunder normal conditions should be between about 0.5 and 2 t/ha.
