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| Introduction |
- Redgram (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is nutritionally well balanced and is an excellent source of protein (20–30 %), carbohydrates, vitamin A and C.
- In India redgram is grown in an area of 4.37 m.ha, with a production of 2.65 m.t and the average productivity is 655 kg ha-1.
- In Tamil Nadu its area under cultivation is 0.35 lakh ha with a production of 0.31 lakh tonnes with an average productivity of 870 kg ha-1.
- Per capita availability of pulses has declined sharply from 61 grams per day in 1951-56 to less than 40 grams in recent years.
- Pulses have been cultivated since time immemorial in rainfed conditions which are characterized by poor soil fertility and moisture stress environments.
- Water is becoming scarce due to erratic rainfall, increased industrialization, intensive agriculture and improper water management.
- With the fast decline of irrigation water potential and continued expansion of population and economic activity in many parts of the country, the problem of water scarcity is expected to be aggravated further.
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| Possible ways to increase the productivity |
- For increasing the productivity of pulses key inputs viz., water, seeds and nutrients need to be applied in the right quantity to enhance the production.
- Since 85 per cent of pulses are rainfed, it is necessary to develop technology to save water, nutrients and giving irrigations at most critical stages of crop growth.
- Drip irrigation can be considered as an efficient irrigation system since it causes wetting of the soil only and maintain optimum moisture content in the root zone.
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| Advantages of drip fertigation |
- Timely application of water
- Micro irrigation provides many unique agronomic, water and energy conservation benefits that address many of the challenges facing irrigated agriculture, now and in the future.
- Fertigation is one such technology where water-soluble fertilizer / chemical can be applied in precise amounts in synchrony with the plant needs, directly into the root zone of the crop.
- Improves nutrient use efficiency, as the fertilizer applied remains confined to the root zone of the crop.
- Drip fertigation also enables accurate adjustment of water and nutrient supplies to meet the crop requirements and thus minimizing the loss of expensive nutrients which ultimately helps in improving productivity and quality of farm produce.
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| Fertilizers suitable for fertigation |
| Fertilizers |
N:P:K |
Fertilizers |
N:P:K |
| Urea |
46 – 0 – 0 |
Potassium nitrate |
13 – 0 – 46 |
| Ammonium nitrate |
34 – 0 – 0 |
MAP |
12 – 61 – 0 |
| Ammonium sulphate |
21 – 0 – 0 |
Potassium chloride |
0 – 0 – 60 |
| Calcium nitrate |
16 – 0 – 0 |
Potassium nitrate |
13 – 0 – 46 |
| Magnesium nitrate |
11 – 0 – 0 |
Potassium sulphate |
0 – 0 – 50 |
| Urea ammonium nitrate |
32 – 0 – 0 |
NPK (Polyfeed) |
19 – 19 - 19 |
| 20 – 20 - 20 |
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