Organic cultivation of Chickenpea (Gram).

            Today we will discuss about the organic cultivation of chickenpea ( grams)

   Scientific name :   Cicer arietinum 

        Family           :   Fabacea

     Nutritional value of chickenpea per 100 gm is.

                       Protein        :          19.gm

    

                            Fat         :      6.gm

                      Sodium      :     24.mg

                 Potassium    :     875.mg

           Carbohydrates   :    61.gm

   In india, chickenpea is cultivated in uttar pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra & Bihar. 90%of the land for chickenpea cultivation is use among these states and 92% of the total production comes from these states. In india about 7.54 million  heactare of land is used for it's cultivation and approximate.7.6 tons/heactare production is obtained. per year approximate 5-6 million tons of gram is cultivated in the country, Madhya Pradesh & chhattisgarh are among the major cultivator states of India.

                   Climate for cultivation

  It is a Rabi crop. For it's cultivation, 60-90cm annual rainfall is needed and it can be easily cultivated in cold region. Rainfall after blooming can effect crops badly as flowers stuck to each other by rain which prevents the fruit formation of the flowers. For it's cultivation most appropriate temperature is upto 24°-30° celcius, during fruits formation if temperature exceeds or remain below 30° then it causes loss to our crops.

         Best variety of chickenpea seeds.

INDRA CHANA -1. This variety get ready within 110-115 days. it's production is 15-20 tons/heactare.

 VAIBHAV.  This variety get ready within 110-115 days.The percentage of protein is 18. And it's production is 13-15 tons/heactare.

 GWALIOR -2. It pods are light brown in colour. And this variety get ready within 125 days. The percentage of protein is 18 and it's production is 12-15 tons/ heactare.

 Ujjain -24.  It pods are yellow in colour. And this variety get ready within 120-125 days. The percentage of protein is 19 and it's production is 10-13 tons/heactare.

 J.G. 315.  This variety get ready within  125 days. it's production is 10-12 tons/heactare.and the percentage of protein is 18.

 

                    Preparation of farm.

 Loamy and mtiar soil is best for it's cultivation. It's cultivation is good in little heavy soil. The soil which has good water draining capacity and good irrigation facilities gives a good production and ph value for it's cultivation is 6-7.5 For Rabi crops , their 1st irrigation should be done before the onset of monsoon as the moisture contain can be maintained. It's 1st ploughing should be done with a twister and 2nd ploughing should be done by using simple plough and the irrigate the land by using pipelines so that the land is plained and if the land is effected by white ant then at the time of irrigation we should add chloropyriphos this also prevents katua insects.

   

                         Time of cultivation.

 In unirrigated areas from the last week of September to 3rd week of October the cultivation should be done. While in irrigation areas the cultivation should be done before the last week of December.

                             Seeds rate.

      75-80kg/ heactare seeds are needed for it's cultivation. For  white chickenpea Cultivation 100-120kg/heactare seeds are used.

                       Seeds treatment.

 Before sowing the seeds should be treated with thyrum at the rate of 2gm/kg or with Rhizobium culture.

                            Irrigation.

Generally, it requires less irrigation but as the demand , after 45 days of cultivation the first irrigation should be done and 2nd irrigation should be done at the time of formation of fruits or after 75 days of cultivation.

                     Manures and fertilizers.

In gram's cultivation the fertlizer are used as per soil but in unirrigated areas 10kg of Nitrogen and 25kg Phosphorus should be used. While in irrigated areas we should use 20kg of Nitrogen and 40kg Phosphorus should be used. These fertilizers should be used during the last ploughing by making 10-15 cm deep holes.

                             Pest control.

1. Katua insects-  The crops is most effected by it. For it's prevention we should use chloropyriphos at the rate of 20kg/ heactare at the time of ploughing.

2. Pod borer - it's effect is seen at the time of formation of fruits and can destroy upto 75% of the crop. It can be prevented by using Monachrotophas _40 E.C at the rate of 1litre /600-800 litre in water should be sprinkled at the time fruits occurrence.

                            Disease control

1. Sclerotinia Blight- It is caused by fungus Sclerotiniasclerotiorum. The disease affects all the plant part except the roots. The infection in the initial stage is visible on the stem near the ground. The affected plant first becomes yellow , then brown and ultimately dry out. It can be controlled by using only healthy seeds , grow disease-resistant varities like G-543 , Gaurav , Pusa-261 , etc.,.after harvest , the diseased plants should not be allowed to stand in the field and should be destroyed. Treat the soil with a mixture of fungicides like Brassicol and Captan at the rate of 10kg/hectare.

                      Production and Storage

Generally, 10-15 tons/hectare production is obtained. There should be 10-12% of moisture at the time of storage.