Effect of nutrient and pest management on productivity and profitability of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan)

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) season of 2017 and 2018 at the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India, to study the impact of nutrient and pest management on productivity and profitability of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp.]. The experiment consisted 8 treatments of nutrient and pest management, replicated thrice in randomized block design. Pods/plant were found markedly superior in recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) + multimicronutrient @ 2 ml/L at 50% flowering + indoxacarb spray at flowering + 1 systemic insecticide at 15 days after the first spray. However, 1000-seed weight (65.19 g) was significantly higher in RDF + multimicronutrient @ 2 ml/L at 50% flowering + indoxacarb spray at flowering + 1 systemic insecticide at 15 days after first spray. Grain yield (1.07 t/ha) was significantly superior under RDF + multimicronutrient @ 2 ml/L at 50% flowering + indoxacarb spray at flowering + 1 systemic insecticide at 15 days after the first spray. The stover yield (6.13 t/ha) was recorded significantly higher (17.92%) in RDF + 0.5% borax spray at 50% flowering. Harvest index was estimated significantly superior in RDF + indoxacarb spray at 50% flowering + 1 systemic insecticide (Dimethoate) at 15 days after first spray followed by RDF + multimicronutrinent @ 2 ml/L at 50% flowering + indoxacarb spray at flowering + 1 systemic insecticide at 15 days after the first spray (17.53%). Gross returns (69.3 × 103 `/ha) and net returns (69.3 × 103 `/ha) of pigeonpea were recorded significantly higher under RDF + multimicronutrient @ 2 ml/L at 50% flowering + Indoxacarb spray at flowering + 1 systemic insecticide at 15 days after the first spray, while benefit : cost ratio (3.68; 3.49) was found significantly more in RDF + 2% urea spray at 50% flowering and RDF + 0.5% ZnSO4 spray at 50% flowering than the other treatments.