Performance of blackgram (Phaseolus mungo L.) cultivars as influenced by row spacings and molybdenum

A field trial was conducted to assess the performance of blackgram cultivars to row spacings and molybdenum doses at the Instructional-cum-Research Farm, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalya, Raipur (Chhattisgarh), under rainfed conditions during kharif season of 2011. The treatments comprised of three varieties viz., Indra urd-1, RU-03-16 and RU-03-52; two row spacings viz., 30x10 cm and 45 x 10 cm and three treatments of molybdenum viz., control, 4 g/kg seed and 4 g/kg seed + two spray of  urea @ 2%. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications. Results revealed that all the growth and yield attibutes such as number of branches/plant, number of leaves/plant, seeds/plant, seed yield (781 kg/ha), biological yield (2736 kg/ha) and harvest index (29.71%) noticed significantly higher under cultivar Indra urd-1. Similarly, maximum production efficiency (9.52 kg/ha/day), economic efficiency (Rs. 218.82/ha/day) and gross returns (Rs. 32,335/ha) were also recorded in Indra urd-1 as compared to rest of the cultivars. Further results showed that all the growth and yield attributes viz., number of  branches/plant, number of leaves/plant, seeds/plant, seed yield (778 kg/ha), biological yield (2653 kg/ha) and harvest index (29.10%) recorded significantly higher in row spacing of 30 x 10 cm as compared to 45 x 10 cm. Maximum production efficiency (9.49 kg/ha/day), economic efficiency (Rs. 216.44/ha/day) and gross returns (Rs. 32,107/ha) were also recorded in 30 x 10 cm. Application of molybdenum @ 4 g/kg seed along with 2% urea spray twice gave highest seed yield (810 kg/ha), biological yield (2698 kg/ha) and harvest index (29.25%) over control and seed treatment with molybdenum @ 4 g/kg. Similarly, application of molybdenum + 2% urea spray twice gave maximum production efficiency (9.88 kg/ha/day), economic efficiency (Rs. 226.49/ha/day) and gross returns (Rs. 33,293/ha).