Pigeon pea is remarkably drought resistant, tolerating dry areas with less than 65 cm annual rainfall, even producing seed profusely under dry zone conditions, as the crop matures early and the incidence of pest damage is low. Pigeon pea is more or less photoperiod-sensitive; short days decrease time to flowering. Under humid conditions pigeon pea tends to produce luxuriant vegetative growth, Annual precipitation of 6–10 dm is most suitable, with moist conditions for the first two growing months, drier conditions for flowering and harvest.

Pigeon pea is grown as a sole crop and often intercropped with different crops. Pigeon peas are often intercropped with Cotton, Corn (Maize), Sorghum, Pearl millet, Finger millet and rice, soybean, groundnut (peanut) and sesame in different part of the world.
Intercropping offers the following advantages:-
•Produces higher yields per unit area through better use of natural resources.
•Offers greater stability in production under biotic and abiotic stresses.
•Provides an equitable distribution of farm resources.
The Cotton - Pigeon Pea crop combination allows the pigeon peas to benefit from the feeding program for the main cotton crop and cotton takes advantage of the nitrogen fixing ability of pigeonpea.