HYDERABAD: A small shift at the start of the farming season could deliver outsized gains for millions of pigeonpea growers. New research by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) shows that transplanting pigeonpea seedlings, instead of direct seeding, can raise yields by nearly 20%, cut climate risk and shorten crop duration.
“Transplanting helps the crop bypass its most vulnerable early stage in the field, resulting in stronger vigour, better root development and more efficient use of soil moisture under rainfed conditions,” a lead scientist from ICRISAT told TNIE.
The findings address a long-standing challenge in Indian agriculture: improving productivity in rainfed regions prone to erratic rainfall and early-season drought. In trials, average yields rose from about 2.5 tonnes per hectare under direct seeding to nearly 3 tonnes with transplanting. The method involves raising seedlings in protrays in a small nursery and shifting healthy plants to the field in sync with the first effective rains.
By starting the crop in a controlled environment, researchers say farmers can ensure uniform plant stands, stronger early growth and better tolerance to uneven rainfall. Pigeonpea, a key protein source and income crop for smallholders, is largely rainfed, yet national yields hover at just 0.8–0.9 tonnes per hectare, well below its realistic potential of 1.8–2.5 tonnes.
ICRISAT scientists attribute this gap to weak crop establishment rather than genetics. Long-term research since 2013, including trials across diverse agro-climatic zones, consistently showed transplanted crops outperforming direct-seeded ones under both excess and limited moisture.
Field data also indicate deeper, stronger root systems in transplanted crops, improving water and nutrient uptake and resilience to dry spells. With three to four weeks of growth completed in the nursery, crop duration in the main field is shortened by 12–18 days, helping plants escape terminal drought during grain filling and improving grain quality.
Highlighting the wider implications, ICRISAT Director General Himanshu Pathak said transplanting had transformed irrigated rice systems and could now do the same for pigeonpea under rainfed conditions. He described it as a potential game-changer for productivity and pulse self-sufficiency.
Although transplanting adds costs of around Rs 10,000 per hectare for trays, nursery media and labour, researchers say yield gains of 20–30%, lower crop failure risk and better input efficiency can offset the expense, particularly through community- or FPO-managed nurseries.
With the science established, the focus has shifted to scaling up. Odisha has emerged as a priority state due to its extensive rainfed area and rainfall variability. ICRISAT has released standardised Seedling Transplanting Protocols for Sustainable Pigeonpea Production there, signalling how low-cost, scalable interventions could help stabilise yields, strengthen farm incomes and bolster India’s long-term pulse security.