Growth and Yield Behaviour of Urdbean (Vigna mungo L.) as Influenced by Sowing Methods and Nutrient Management Practices in North-Western Plains Zone

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during kharif seasons during 2016 and 2017, respectively to find out suitable Sowing methods and Nutrient management practices for urdbean variety at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut. The treatments consisted of 4 sowing methods (viz. normal sowing, ridge sowing, broad bed sowing (10 cm) and broad bed sowing (5 cm)) and 5 nutrient management practices viz. control, farmer practice (100 kg DAP ha-1), 20:50:20:30- NPKS + 2% Urea spray at flowering, 20:50:20:30- NPKS + Rhizobium + PSB + 2% Urea spray at flowering and 20:50:20:30- NPKS + 5t FYM + Rhizobium + PSB + 2% Urea spray at flowering. The sowing method, „Broad bed sowing (10 cm)‟ recorded significantly higher branches plant-1,trifoliate leaves plant-1, leaf area, leaf area index, crop growth rate, net assimilation rate which was superior over all the sowing methods during both the years. Further the data revealed that pods plant-1, pod length, seeds pod-1, test weight, seed yield, straw yield, biological yield, harvest index, net return and B:C ratio were found significantly higher in broadbed (10 cm), while the lowest was noticed in broadbed (5 cm) during both the years. The microbial population as well as nutrient uptake were found significantly highest in broadbed (10 cm) whereas, the lest value of microbial population and nutrient uptake was noticed in broadbed (5 cm) during two consecutive year of study. The sowing methods of broadbed (10 cm) and ridge sowing was exhibited significantly at par with each other during 2016 and 2017, respectively. Among the nutrient management practices, the application of 20:50:20:30- NPKS + 5t FYM + Rhizobium + PSB + 2% Urea spray at flowering recorded significantly higher branches plant-1,trifoliate leaves-1, leaf area, leaf area index, crop growth rate, NAR while minimum values was recorded in control plot during both the year of study. Further the nutrient management practices was involved significantly on yield and yield attributes as well as economics viz., pods plant-1, pod length, seeds pod- 1, test weight, seed yield, straw yield, biological yield, harvest index, net return and B:C ratio which was higher in 20:50:20:30- NPKS + 5t FYM + Rhizobium + PSB + 2% Urea spray at flowering but lowest in control plot during both the years. Farmer practice (100 kg DAP ha-1), 20:50:20:30- NPKS + 2% Urea spray at flowering was significantly at par with the treatment 20:50:20:30- NPKS + Rhizobium + PSB + 2% Urea spray at flowering stage. The application of 20:50:20:30- NPKS +5t FYM + Rhizobium + PSB + 2% Urea spray at flowering was significantly recorded higher available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur contents and microbial population in the soil over rest of the treatments.