Optimizing Plant Geometry and Nutrient Management for Grain Yield and Economics in Irrigated Greengram

Abstract

Greengram ( Vigna radiata L.) is important pulse crop in India. The yield and economics were in-creased by optimization of plant geometry and nutrient management under irrigated condition. The field experiment was conducted during Rabi season of November 2013 to January 2014 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam. An experiment was laid out in randomised block design and replicated thrice and the test variety of the crop greengram (CO 6) was used. The plant geometry of 30 × 30 cm, 25 × 25 cm and 30 × 10 cm was adopted. The Soil Test Crop Response (STCR) based fertilizer application, RDF, FYM and ZnSO4 was applied in soil as basal. The foliar spray of Pulse Wonder and Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFM) spray was done at one week after flowering and 1% KNO3 at 50 per cent flowering. Adoption of planting geometry of 30 × 30 cm, application of RDF, 12.5 t of FYM and 25 kg ZnSO4 as basal and foliar spraying of 1% KNO3 at 50 per cent flowering recorded higher dry matter production of 2865 kg · ha -1 and yield attributes viz. , number of pod clusters plant -1 (10.34), number of pods plant -1 (53.40), number of seeds pod -1 (13.23), pod length (8.77 cm) and seed test weight (3.42 g). Higher grain yield of 1775 kg · ha -1 , haulm yield (2920 kg · ha -1 ), harvest index (0.38), net return (57,806 Rs · ha -1 ) and B:C ratio (2.43) were associated with the treatment comprising of 30 × 30 cm spacing, application of RDF, 12.5 t of FYM and 25 kg ZnSO4 as basal and foliar spraying of 1% KNO3 at 50 per cent flowering.