Effect of Agronomic Manipulations on Morpho-physiological and Biochemical Responses of Rainfed Redgram [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.]

Background: Pulses play an important role in Indian agriculture and they are the rich sources of protein. Redgram is an essential food legume, mostly cultivated under rainfed condition in India. Due to increasing population the demand of pulses is increased; hence the redgram productivity has to be increased to meet out the requirement. To overcome this problem an investigation was carried out to study the effect of crop geometry, modified canopy architecture and 1% PPFM application on morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of rainfed redgram during north-east monsoon season. Methods: The treatments comprised of varied crop geometries viz, broad casting (farmer's practice), high density planting at 30 x 30 cm and recommended spacing of 60 x 30 cm; modified canopy architectures viz. nipping of primary branches at 45 and 60 days after the receipt of soaking rain and foliar application of 1% PPFM spray at 50% flowering to avoid the moisture stress. Result: The results revealed that sowing at 60 x 30 cm spacing with nipping at 45th day recorded significantly higher seed yield and protein yield of redgram in rainfed condition. Further, nipping at 45th day showed higher level of relative water content (51.6%) associated with lower level of proline (26.61 mg g-1).