A novel crop-stand establishment technique for Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) under Rice-pulse cropping system in delta regions

Abstract

Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) is one of the most important and extensively grown pulse crops around the world. The present practice of farmers has been sowing the blackgram seeds, preferably 7-10 days, prior to harvest of rice under rice-pulse cropping system in delta regions. It ensures zero tillage and also utilization of residual soil moisture to hasten germination of blackgram seeds. The major constraint here is plant population maintenance and low productivity of the pulse crop. The objective of the experiment was to find out suitable stand establishment method for cultivating blackgram, after harvest of rice crop, in stubbles under rice-pulse cropping system and also to fix seed rate to get optimum yield. Accordingly, the field experiment was conducted at central farm of Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai during 2019 -2020 with different crop-stand establishment techniques and performance of blackgram assessed in terms of growth and yield. A perusal of the results on growth and yield of blackgram indicated that the grain yield ranged from 364.58 kg to 713.54 per ha of land. The maximum yield was registered in the treatment T7: Broadcasting (37.5kg/ha) followed by tiller (9 Tyne) ploughing with a yield of 713.54 kg/ha and was significantly different from other treatments. A similar trend was also observed with haulm yield.