Effect of Different Modes of Pollination on Yield and Quality Parameters in Pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp

Pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. is an important crop in semi arid tropics of India and forms a part of diet of vegetarian people. An experiment was conducted at CCS Haryana Agricultural University Research Farm, Hisar (Haryana)-India to know the effect of different modes of pollination on yield and quality parameters in two cultivars of pigeonpea viz. Paras (H-82-1) and Manak (H-77-216) significantly higher number of pods per plant were produced in open pollinated crop (58.4 and 53.9 in Paras and Manak, respectively) than without insect pollinated crop (42.1 and 38.7 in Paras and Manak, respectively). 1000-seed weight (g) was also significantly higher in open pollinated crop (65.39 and 65.06 in Paras and Manak, respectively) than without insect pollinated crop (63.46 and 62.94g in Paras and Manak, respectively). Vigour index was significantly higher in open pollinated crop (1589.2 and 1618.0 in Paras and Manak, respectively) than without insect pollinated crop (1118.6 and 1009.6). No differences in per cent germination, viability and protein content of seed produced under open and without insect pollination were noticed. It is concluded that even though pigeonpea is an often cross-pollinated crop and cross pollination by insects played an important role and increased the seed yield, 1000-seed weight and vigour index.