Cultivation Methods of Nutrient Rich Pigeon Pea (Toor Dal)

Pigeon pea (Toor Dal) crop is relatively easy to cultivate due to low Insect infestation. It is harvested in the months of December - January. Learn about the cultivation methods of pigeon pea.  

Toor Dal is native to India. It is a drought tolerant crop. It is commonly grown in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. 

Being rich in protein and vitamins, Toor Dal  is one of the main ingredients in many food items like dal, sambar, etc. As Toor Dal is also comes under legume family, it can store nitrogen in the soil.  So, it is beneficial to cultivate this crop as an intercrop. Toor Dal can be grown along with tapioca and groundnut. Can be grown in paddy fields and kitchen garden. 

Toor Dal cultivation

Toor Dal cultivation requires light alkaline, deep and moist soil. Seeds should be sown in the months May-June. It will be good if you soak the seeds in Pseudomonas solution for some time before sowing. Manure can be applied as basal manure at the rate of 12KG per cent in well ploughed soil. Keep a distance of 3.5 meter between the rows and 35 centimeter between the plants. 

At the time of cultivation, 173gm of urea and 1776gm of rock phosphate per cent can be added in the soil.  After 3-4 weeks of planting, add 174gm of urea in the soil. 

The flowering season of Toor Dal is September. Toor Dal ripens within 110 days of planting. The fruits will be ripened in December-January months.