Growth, yield attributes and quality of summer greengram (Vigna radiata L.) as influenced by nitrogen and irrigation levels

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the experimental field of Directorate of Seed Research, Mau, U. P. during summer season, 2011 to evaluate the effect of irrigation and nitrogen applications on growth, yield and quality of green gram (Vigna radiate L.) cv. HUM 12. Result showed that 20 kg N ha^-1 as basal and 20 kg N ha^-1 as split + one irrigation at flower initiation gave maximum plant m^-2, plant height, number of branches plant^-1 and number of trifoliate leaves plant^-1 followed by 15 kg N ha^-1 as basal and 15 kg N ha^-1 as split + one irrigation at flower initiation and 10 kg N ha^-1 as basal and 10 kg N ha^-1 as split + one irrigation at flower initiation and lowest in control. The seed yield of green gram significantly higher over control due to increasing the number of pods plant-1 (43.4), pod length (10.4 cm), number of seeds pod^-1 (10.5), test weight (46.3 g), yield per plant (5.60 g) and seed yield (16.6 q ha^-1). The highest germination percentage, vigour index, nitrate and nitrite reductase activity were observed with 20 kg N ha^-1 as basal and 20 kg N ha^-1 as split + one irrigation at flower initiation (100.0). The maximum seedling dry weight was recorded with application of 10 kg N ha1 as basal and 10 kg N ha^-1 as split + one irrigation at first flower initiation stage (156.0) which was on par with 40 kg N ha^-1 as basal.