Climate Resilient Agro-Technology for Blackgram

Pulses are an important source of dietary protein provides 25 per cent of protein requirements of predominantly vegetarian population. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a per capita consumption of pulses at 80 g per day and the Indian Council of Medical Research has recommended a minimum consumption of 47 g. Pulses play an important role in Indian Agriculture as they improve soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen through their nodules. Pulses are called as “Marvel of Nature” because of several beneficial characters such as good crop coverage, prevent soil erosion and fix atmospheric nitrogen. India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world accounting for 33 per cent of the world area and 22 per cent of world production. The productivity of pulse in India is low around 550-625 kg/ha against 1600 kg in USA, 1400 kg in China and a world average of 900 kg/ha. This crop is grown in different cropping system as a mixed crop, catch crop, sequential crop in the country. In India black gram is very popularly grown in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, U.P., West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana, and Karnataka. The yield potential of blackgram is very low because, the crop is mainly grown in rainfed conditions with poor management practices. Apart from the genetic potential, the biotic and abiotic stresses during critical stages of crop growth play a major role in reduced blackgram production [1]. Several strategies were initiated to increase the productivity of blackgram. Among them e foliar application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients for exploiting genetic potential of the crop is of major concern. This is considered as an efficient and economic method of supplementing portion of the nutrient requirements at critical stages. Nutrients play a pivotal role in increasing the seed yield in pulses [2]. Foliar application facilitates quick and efficient utilization of nutrients, elimination of losses through leaching and fixation and helps in regulating the uptake of nutrient by plants [3]. Foliar nutrients usually penetrate the leaf cuticle or stomata and enter the cells facilitating easy entry of nutrients. As fertilizers application is complicated to apply through top dressing or placement, foliar fertilization is best suited for rabi pulses [4]. Foliar application of fertilizers as a possible means of applying the needed nutrients for successful crop production is gaining considerable interest in recent years [5]. The productivity of the crop is declining over years due to various reasons. Among all the yield limiting factors, fertility management is paramount importance as they are growing in residual moisture and fertilizers. Farmers generally take up sowing with basal application of fertilizers as recommended and there is no standard recommendation of foliar nutrition during crop growth period. Further, soil application of fertilizers is often not sufficient to meet the growing crop demand particularly in short duration crop like black gram, In the present agriculture changing climate especially frequent and prolonged drought Abstract An experiment was conducted to study the effect of foliar nutrition on growth and yield attributes of blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) under rainfed conditions during rabi seasons of 2015-16 and 2016-17 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh in Randomized Block Design with 8 treatments viz., T1-Control (Water spray), T2 Urea @2 % spray at flowering initiation, T3TNAU Pulse wonder @5kg/ha at flowering initiation, T4salicylic acid 75 ppm at flowering initiation and 7 days after 1st spray, T5 -18-18-18 (NPK) @ 2% sprays at flowering initiation, T6 -Urea 2%+ Salycilic acid 75ppm spray at flowering initiation, T7-Boran@0.25 ppm spray at flowering initiation, T8Nitrobenzene @500ppm spray at flowering initiation and replicated thrice. Growth and yield attributing characters i.e. plant height, no.of branches/plant, no. of pods per plant, test weight, yield were significantly influenced by different nutrients treatments. Application of Urea @2 % spray at flowering initiation (T2) recorded highest number of branches/plant (5.95) where as no. of pods per plant (20.35) test weight (4.92g), yield (675kg/ha) and BC ratio 1.4 were high in spraying of Salicylic acid 75 ppm at flowering initiation and 7 days after 1st spray (T4).