Crop details

Pigeon pea (mbaazi)

Cajanus cajan

Family: Fabaceae

Quick stats

Family	Fabaceae
Typical harvest	1.6 t/ha
Varieties	3
Pests & diseases	6
Seasons	3

Crop profile

Growth habit	shrub
Days to harvest	180
Main uses	Green peas, dry grain for stews and porridge, and woody stems and leaves for animal feed and fuel.
Pollination	self
Origin / where it grows	Pigeon pea (mbaazi) is common in warm, semi-arid and medium rainfall areas of East Africa, often on field borders or mixed with cereals.

Weather, soil & spacing

Best temperature	22–32 °C
Rainfall	500–800 mm/yr
Altitude	0–1800 m
Best pH	5.5–7.5
Soil type	Well-drained sandy loam to loam soils; Pigeon pea (mbaazi) tolerates poorer, light soils better than many crops.
Row spacing	75 cm
Plant spacing	30 cm
Planting depth	4 cm
Seed rate	8 kg/ha
Nursery days	—

Simple notes for farmers

About the crop: This crop has a growth habit described as "shrub". You can normally start harvesting about 180 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for green peas, dry grain for stews and porridge, and woody stems and leaves for animal feed and fuel..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by self. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Pigeon pea (mbaazi) is common in warm, semi-arid and medium rainfall areas of East Africa, often on field borders or mixed with cereals. It is grouped under: Legumes & Pulses.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 22 and 32 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 500 to 800 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 1800 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 5.5 to 7.5. It does well in well-drained sandy loam to loam soils; pigeon pea (mbaazi) tolerates poorer, light soils better than many crops.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 75 centimetres apart, and leave about 30 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 4 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.

Seed or planting material: Use around 8 kilograms of seed or planting material per hectare. Spread or plant evenly so the field has a good stand without being overcrowded.

Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)

Planting: Plant Pigeon pea (mbaazi) at the onset of the rains. Place 2–3 seeds per hole along the row, cover with soil and thin to 1–2 strong plants per station.

Transplanting: Mbaazi is almost always direct seeded in the field, not transplanted.

Irrigation: Mbaazi is drought tolerant but still needs moisture for germination, flowering and pod filling. It can finish the crop on residual moisture after other crops are harvested.

Fertigation: As a legume, Pigeon pea (mbaazi) fixes nitrogen. Give a small starter phosphorus dose; extra nitrogen is usually not needed.

Pest scouting: Walk fields every 1–2 weeks. Look for pod borers, pod-sucking bugs, leaf spots and wilting plants.

Pruning: In perennial or ratoon systems, lightly prune old dry branches after harvest to encourage new shoots. Keep weeds low in the first 6–8 weeks.

Harvest: For green mbaazi, harvest pods when seeds are full and soft but still green. For dry grain, harvest when most pods are brown and rattle when shaken.

Postharvest: Dry pods or threshed grain of Pigeon pea (mbaazi) on clean tarpaulins. Dry until grains are hard, then store in dry, airtight containers or treated bags to prevent bruchids.

Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)

#	Stage	DAP	Product	Rate	Targets (kg/ha)	Notes
1	Basal at planting	0	NPK 10-24-10 or similar starter	40 kg/ha	N: 4, P₂O₅: 10, K₂O: 4	Band fertilizer a short distance away from mbaazi seed, not directly in the planting hole.
2	Optional K topdress (early flowering)	60	Muriate of potash (MOP) or NPK rich in K	20 kg/ha	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 12	Use on fields where Pigeon pea (mbaazi) is grown often and residues are removed.

Nutrient requirements

Nutrient	Stage	Amount	Unit
N	Basal	10	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Basal	20	kg/ha
K₂O	Basal	15	kg/ha
N	Topdress_early	0	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Topdress_early	0	kg/ha
K₂O	Topdress_early	15	kg/ha

Name	Country	Maturity	Traits
Early mbaazi variety – short duration	KE	140	Early Pigeon pea (mbaazi) for short rains; good for grain and some fuelwood.
Medium-duration mbaazi	TZ	170	Grown for both grain and firewood; fits well in mixed cereal–legume systems.
Local mbaazi landrace	KE	180	Traditional Pigeon pea (mbaazi) with preferred taste; more tolerant to local stresses but lower yielding than improved lines.

Stage	Product	Rate (kg/ha)	Notes
Basal	NPK 10-24-10 or DAP (small dose)	40	Provides phosphorus for strong mbaazi roots and nodulation.
Topdress (optional K)	Muriate of potash (MOP)	20	Use mainly in K-deficient fields, especially where Pigeon pea (mbaazi) residues are removed.

Name	Type	Symptoms	Management
Pod borers (Helicoverpa and others)	pest	Holes in pods, webbing and chewed Pigeon pea (mbaazi) seeds inside pods.	Plant early, scout from flowering, and use recommended biopesticides or insecticides at early podding if damage is start...
Pod-sucking bugs	pest	Sunken or shriveled seeds, brown feeding spots on pods.	Avoid very late planting of mbaazi, keep field edges clean and use targeted sprays if numbers are high.
Aphids	pest	Clusters of small insects on young shoots of Pigeon pea (mbaazi), curling leaves and sticky honeydew.	Encourage natural enemies and use selective insecticides only when heavy infestations threaten the crop.
Wilt and root rots	disease	Sudden wilting and death of mbaazi plants; brown to black discoloured roots and stem bases.	Rotate with non-legumes, avoid poorly drained soils and use tolerant varieties where available.
Leaf spots and blights	disease	Spots on leaves that may join together, causing early leaf drop.	Use clean seed of Pigeon pea (mbaazi), avoid overcrowding and rotate crops.
Bruchids (storage beetles)	pest	Holes and powder in stored mbaazi grain; live beetles in bags.	Dry grain thoroughly, store Pigeon pea (mbaazi) in airtight containers or treated bags and clean stores between seasons.

System	Typical	Min	Max	Notes
Smallholder rainfed (low input)	0.8	0.5	1.2	Local mbaazi types, little or no fertilizer, often intercropped with maize or sorghum.
Smallholder rainfed (improved management)	1.5	1	2	Improved Pigeon pea (mbaazi) varieties with good spacing, timely weeding and pest control.
High input / irrigated or ratoon systems	2.5	1.8	3	Well-managed mbaazi with reliable moisture and good pest management; can give grain over more than one season in ratoon...

Country	Region	Planting	Harvest
KE	Semi-arid and coastal zones (long rains)	Mar–Apr	Oct–Dec
KE	Semi-arid zones (short rains)	Oct–Nov	May–Jul
TZ	Central and southern drier zones	Dec–Jan	Jun–Aug

Country	Region	Suitability
KE	Coastal lowlands and semi-arid eastern Kenya	High
KE	Lower eastern mixed crop–livestock areas	High
KE	Very wet highland zones	Low
TZ	Central plateau and southern drier zones	High
UG	Drier mixed farming and cattle corridor areas	Medium