Performance of rabi blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) to soil amendments and irrigation schedules

Abstract

Field trial was carried out in split plot design at Advanced Post Graduate Centre, Lam, Guntur. The treatments comprised of irrigation schedules as main plots viz., one irrigation at pre-flowering stage (I1), one irrigation at pod formation stage (I2), two irrigations at pre-flowering and pod formation stages (I3) and soil amendments as sub plot treatments viz., soil application of humic acid @ 20 kg ha-1 (S1), soil application of hydrogel @ 2.5 kg ha-1 (S2) and soil application of FYM @ 5 t ha-1(S3). Among different irrigation schedules I3 was found to be superior in recording the highest growth parameters when compared to other two irrigation treatments. Maximum yield was recorded with (I3) which was comparable with (I1). Higher water productivity was realized with one irrigation at pre-flowering stage (I1) when compared to two irrigations at pre-flowering and pod formation stages (I3). Soil amendment hydrogel @ 2.5 kg ha-1 was found to be better in recording higher growth and yield parameters when compared to FYM @ 5 t ha-1. Significant difference in water productivity of blackgram was not observed with regard to soil amendment treatments.