Tur Crop: Complete Cultivation Guide for Indian Farmers

Pulses are a major source of protein in the Indian diet, and their cultivation is key to maintaining soil fertility. Among the different pulse crops grown in the country, the Tur crop, also known as pigeon pea or arhar, is highly valued for its market price and nutritional benefits. This crop is drought-tolerant and grows well in semi-arid regions of central and southern India. Farmers who follow scientific cultivation practices can achieve high yields and improve their farm incomes. This comprehensive guide covers soil selection, sowing time, irrigation schedules, pest management, and harvesting techniques for successful cultivation. Implementing these practices helps growers achieve a bountiful harvest and secure stable profits from their land.

Introduction to Tur crop cultivation in India

Tur crop is a major legume crop that has been cultivated in India for thousands of years. It belongs to the family Fabaceae and is grown mainly for its split seeds, which are used to prepare traditional dal dishes. The crop has a deep taproot system that helps it survive in areas with low rainfall, making it a reliable option for dryland farming. Apart from providing food, the crop helps in nitrogen fixation, which improves the nutrient levels of the soil. The woody stalks of the plant are also used as fuel and roofing material in rural households. The cultivation of this legume supports sustainable farming by enriching the soil naturally.

India is the largest producer and consumer of pigeon pea in the world, with major production coming from states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. The demand for this pulse remains high throughout the year, ensuring good market prices for farmers. Over the years, agricultural scientists have developed several high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties to improve production. Understanding the cultivation needs of this crop helps farmers optimize their resources and achieve better yields. Proper management is the key to maximizing the return on investment in pulse farming. The development of short-duration varieties has made pulse cultivation highly profitable.

Climate and temperature needs for pigeon pea

Tur crop is a tropical crop that requires a warm climate for its growth and development. The ideal temperature range for seed germination and vegetative growth is between twenty-six and thirty degrees Celsius. During the flowering and pod development stage, the crop performs best under temperatures between twenty and twenty-five degrees Celsius. Extreme cold or frost during the flowering stage can cause flowers to drop, leading to significant yield losses. Clear, sunny days during the maturity period are essential for uniform pod ripening. The vegetative phase requires warm conditions to support active branching and leaf growth.

The crop requires moderate rainfall, ranging from six hundred to eight hundred millimeters during its growing cycle. Heavy rains during the flowering stage are harmful as they prevent pollination and increase the risk of disease. High humidity can also lead to the spread of fungal infections in the crop canopy. The crop is sensitive to waterlogging, so it should not be grown in fields where water accumulates after heavy rains. Proper drainage is essential to protect the root system from rot. The drainage system must be checked before the monsoon to prevent water accumulation.

Soil selection and field preparation methods

Selecting the right soil type is the first step toward achieving a high yield in pigeon pea farming. The crop grows best in deep, well-drained loamy soils that have a good capacity to retain moisture. Extremely sandy soils are not suitable because they do not hold water and nutrients long enough for the plants to absorb them. Heavy clay soils should also be avoided because they dry slowly and cause waterlogging around the roots. The soil pH should ideally be in the neutral range, between six point five and seven point five. The soil structure must allow the roots to grow deep and access nutrients easily.

Field preparation starts with deep plowing using a tractor-drawn plow to break the hard soil layers. This should be followed by two or three harrowings to break down clops and level the field. Levelling is crucial to ensure that water does not collect in low-lying parts of the field. Applying well-rotted farmyard manure during the final harrowing improves soil structure and organic content. About five tons of manure per acre should be mixed evenly into the soil. A clean seedbed helps in uniform germination and healthy seedling growth. The fine seedbed supports uniform seed placement and fast germination of the crop.

Popular high-yielding varieties of Tur crop

Choosing the right seed variety is critical as it determines the maturity duration and disease resistance of the crop. Traditional varieties of Tur crop take up to two hundred days to mature, which can delay the next crop. To solve this, researchers have developed short-duration varieties that mature in one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty days. Examples of popular short-duration varieties include Pusa 992, ICPL 87, and UPAS 120. These varieties allow farmers to grow a second crop during the winter season. These certified seeds are available at government stores and cooperative societies.

For areas with stable rainfall, medium-duration varieties like Asha, Maruti, and BDN 2 are highly recommended. These varieties take about one hundred and eighty days to mature and offer high yields under proper management. They also show good resistance to common diseases like fusarium wilt and sterility mosaic. Farmers should select seeds that are certified by government agencies to ensure high germination rates and purity. Certified seeds are treated with protective chemicals, which gives the young plants a healthy start. The medium-duration seeds are popular in regions with high irrigation facilities.

Ideal sowing time and seed rate per acre

Sowing time has a major impact on the growth and yield of the Tur crop. The ideal time for sowing is during the month of June or July, with the onset of the monsoon rains. Early sowing allows the crop to utilize the full season's moisture and complete its vegetative growth before winter begins. Delayed sowing in late August leads to stunted growth and reduced pod formation, resulting in lower yields. Farmers should monitor the weather and start sowing as soon as the soil has sufficient moisture. Sowing during the recommended window helps the crop avoid peak winter pest attacks.

A seed rate of six to eight kilograms per acre is recommended for line sowing under normal conditions. Sowing is best done using a seed drill to ensure uniform depth and spacing between the rows. For medium-duration varieties, a row-to-row spacing of sixty to seventy-five centimeters and plant-to-plant spacing of twenty to twenty-five centimeters is recommended. This spacing allows for proper air circulation, weeding operations, and sunlight penetration. Maintaining the correct plant population is essential for maximizing the final yield. Using a seed drill helps in maintaining correct depth and seed placement.

Seed treatment practices for disease prevention

Seed treatment is a simple and cost-effective method to protect the crop from early diseases and pests. Before sowing, the seeds should be treated with fungicides to prevent seed-borne infections like root rot and wilt. Carboxin or carbendazim at a rate of two grams per kilogram of seed is commonly used. The seeds should be mixed thoroughly with the chemical in a drum and dried in the shade for a few hours. This preventive step reduces seedling mortality and ensures a healthy crop stand. The chemical coating protects the germinating seed from soil fungi and insects.

Following the chemical treatment, the seeds should be inoculated with Rhizobium and phosphate solubilizing bacteria cultures. About two hundred grams of each culture should be mixed with a jaggery solution and applied to the seeds. These bio-fertilizers help in root nodule formation, which increases nitrogen fixation from the air. This reduces the dependency on chemical nitrogen fertilizers and improves soil health. Treated seeds must be sown within twenty-four hours of treatment for the best results. The bio-fertilizer treatment helps in building a strong root system for the plants.

Fertilizer requirements and application schedule

Pigeon pea is a legume crop, so it requires less chemical nitrogen compared to other crops like wheat or maize. However, a balanced application of nutrients is necessary to support healthy growth and pod development. A recommended basal dose of ten kilograms of nitrogen, twenty kilograms of phosphorus, and ten kilograms of potassium per acre should be applied. The entire dose of fertilizers should be placed in the soil at the time of sowing. This helps the young roots access the nutrients immediately after germination. The basal application ensures that the nutrients are available to the young seedlings.

Applying sulphur at a rate of ten kilograms per acre is highly beneficial for improving protein content and seed quality. Zinc sulphate can also be applied during land preparation if soil tests show a deficiency. Farmers should avoid top-dressing nitrogen fertilizers as it can lead to excessive leaf growth and reduce nodule formation. Foliar sprays of two percent urea during the flowering stage can help reduce flower drop and improve pod setting. Soil testing helps in determining the exact fertilizer needs for your field. The foliar spray helps in retaining flowers and increasing the number of pods.

Irrigation management and water conservation

Although Tur crop is drought-tolerant, providing timely irrigation during critical growth stages can significantly improve yields. The crop requires irrigation at the branching stage, flowering stage, and pod development stage if rains fail. The flowering and pod-filling stages are the most critical, and water stress at these times can reduce grain size. In clayey soils, irrigation should be managed carefully to avoid water accumulation, which can cause root damage. Water should be applied evenly across the field using ridges and furrows. Providing sufficient water during pod filling is crucial for obtaining bold grains.

Drip or sprinkler irrigation systems can be used to conserve water and ensure uniform distribution. These systems deliver water directly to the root zone, reducing evaporation losses and weed growth. In rainfed farming, collecting rainwater in ponds and using it for protective irrigation during dry spells is recommended. Mulching the soil surface with organic wastes or crop residues also helps in retaining soil moisture. Proper water management ensures that the plants remain healthy and produce bold, uniform seeds. The modern irrigation methods help in saving water and reducing cultivation costs.

Weed control and intercultural operations

Weeds can grow rapidly during the early growth stages of the crop and compete for nutrients, water, and light. Since Tur crop grows slowly during the first forty to fifty days, keeping the field weed-free is crucial. Farmers should conduct the first hand weeding or hoeing about twenty to twenty-five days after sowing. A second weeding should be done forty-five days after sowing to control late-emerging weeds. Regular weeding prevents weed seeds from multiplying and spreading into the next crop. Managing weeds early is essential to prevent them from taking over the field.

In large-scale cultivation, pre-emergence herbicides like pendimethalin can be sprayed within three days of sowing. This prevents weed seeds from germinating and keeps the field clean during the critical early growth period. Intercultural operations like inter-cultivation using light harrows help in loosening the soil and improving root aeration. It also helps in earthing up the plants, which gives them better support and prevents lodging. Combined physical and chemical weed management gives the best results in pulse farming. The intercultural hoeing helps in loose soil formation around the plant roots.

Common pests and diseases affecting Tur crop

Tur crop is susceptible to several insect pests and diseases that can cause severe damage if not managed. The pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera, is the most destructive pest, feeding on flowers and developing seeds inside the pods. Farmers should monitor the field and use pheromone traps to detect the arrival of these pests early. Spraying bio-pesticides like neem seed kernel extract or recommended chemical insecticides can control pod borer populations. Regular field inspections during the flowering stage are highly recommended. Monitoring the field regularly helps in identifying the pests before they multiply.

Among diseases, fusarium wilt and sterility mosaic disease are major threats to the crop. Fusarium wilt is a soil-borne fungus that causes the plants to wither and dry up. Growing resistant varieties and following crop rotation with non-legume crops like sorghum or maize are effective control measures. Sterility mosaic is spread by mites and causes the leaves to turn yellow and small, preventing pod formation. Spraying acaricides can manage the mite populations and prevent the spread of this virus. Integrated pest management protects the crop health. The crop rotation practice helps in breaking the pest and disease cycles.

Harvesting and post-harvest storage tips

Harvesting should be done when the leaves turn yellow and drop, and about eighty percent of the pods turn brown and dry. Delaying the harvest can lead to pod shattering, where seeds fall onto the ground and are lost. The crop can be harvested manually by cutting the plants at the base using sickles. The harvested plants should be bundled and kept in the field for a few days to dry under the sun. This drying process makes thrashing easier and reduces grain moisture. Harvesting at the right maturity stage is key to avoiding yield losses.

Thrashing can be done manually by beating the bundles on a hard surface or mechanically using pulse thrashers. The thrashed grains must be cleaned, winnowed, and dried under the sun to bring the moisture content below ten percent. Storing grains with high moisture content leads to mold growth and infestation by pulse beetles. Grains should be stored in clean gunny bags or air-tight bins in a dry, well-ventilated room. Using neem oil or dried neem leaves in storage containers helps prevent pest attacks naturally. The clean storage area must be disinfected to prevent pulse beetle damage.

Frequently asked questions

What is the other common name for the Tur crop?

The other common name for the Tur crop is pigeon pea or arhar.

What is the scientific name of the pigeon pea plant?

The scientific name of the pigeon pea plant is Cajanus cajan.

Which soil type is best suited for Tur crop cultivation?

Deep, well-drained loamy soils with a neutral pH are best suited.

When is the ideal sowing time for Tur crop in India?

Sowing is best done in June or July with the arrival of the monsoon rains.

What is the recommended seed rate per acre for arhar?

A seed rate of six to eight kilograms per acre is recommended.

Why is seed treatment recommended for pigeon pea?

It protects the seeds and seedlings from soil-borne diseases like wilt and root rot.

Which biological culture is used to treat Tur seeds?

Rhizobium and phosphate solubilizing bacteria cultures are used.

What is the main nitrogen fertilizer requirement for Tur crop?

Being a legume, it requires very little nitrogen, about ten kilograms per acre at sowing.

How does Tur crop improve soil fertility?

It improves soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen through its root nodules.

Which insect pest causes the most damage to Tur crop?

The pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera, causes the most damage to flowers and pods.

What is sterility mosaic disease in arhar?

It is a viral disease spread by mites that turns leaves yellow and prevents pod formation.

How can fusarium wilt of Tur be prevented?

It can be prevented by growing resistant varieties and following crop rotations with non-legume crops.

What are critical irrigation stages for Tur crop?

Branching, flowering, and pod development stages are critical irrigation stages.

What is the maturity duration of short-duration Tur varieties?

Short-duration varieties mature in about one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty days.

How should Tur grains be stored to prevent beetle attacks?

Grains should be dried below ten percent moisture and stored in clean, air-tight containers.