Growth, development and yield of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) in the lowland tropics:3. Effect of early loss of apical dominance

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Abstract
SUMMARY: In a pot experiment and two field trials, the apical portionof the main stem of a dwarf variety of pigeon pea (ev. Cita-1) was removed at 3 or 7 weeks after sowing in order to evaluate the effect of apical bud removal, during the vegetative stage of growth, on the subsequent growth, development and yield of the crop.The early loss of apical dominance led, in all cases, to increased vegetative development, reduced plant height (except in one of the field trials), higher dry-matter accumulation and more pods per plant, with the treatment effect on number of pods being related to the number of branches developed. The yield of seeds was significantly increased by the early loss of apical dominance in the pot experiment and second field trial.The results therefore show that an early loss of apical dominance, as could happen with insect and pest attack, may not be damaging to the vegetative growth and seed yield of pigeon pea under the prevailing lowland humid tropical conditions.