Abstract

                                The productivity of pulse crop is low due to two reasons ; cultivation on agriculturally marginal soils and little application of any crop inputs. Among production inputs, irrigation plays a crucial role in enhancing productivity levels. Population maintenance is one of the essential criteria by which yield is affected very much. Three-year research (2015-2017) was conducted at AEC&RI, Kumulur during summer season. Among method of establishment, seeding by machine at raised bed has achieved higher plant population (39.50/ m2), higher number of branches (3.81) per plant, higher number of seeds (3.95) per plant and higher seed yield per (2.61 g) plant, whereas method of sowing by machine at flatbed also on par with the performance on number of branches per plant, number of seeds per pod, per plant seed yield in all the three years. Increase in the quantity of seed rate has achieved increase in plant population, but the seed rate @25 kg/ha has achieved higher number of branches per plant (4.13), higher number of pods (4.50) per plant, per plant seed yield (4.33). Sprinkler method of irrigation required eight numbers of irrigation with the quantity of 431.2 mm and achieved water savings of 14.5% compared to conventional method of irrigation and recorded higher water use efficiency of 2.08kg/cm3. Considering the cost of cultivation, net return and BCR, the treatment combination of sowing by machine at flatbed with the seed rate of @25 kg/ha under sprinkler method of irrigation, has achieved the higher yield (1298 kg/ha) and BCR (4.96).

Key words : Sprinkler irrigation, Water use efficiency, Plant density, Machine sowing..