Response of Planting Time and Phosphorus Dosage on Yield and Nutrient uptake in Dolichos Bean (Lablab Purpureus L.)

Abstract

Dolichos bean is an important hardy legume vegetable crop, grown widely in the region during August to March. The photo-insensitive line gave an advantage for year round production of the crop however the productivity is very low. Keeping in view an experiment was conducted to study the response of semi-dwarf photo-insensitive line (RCDL- 10) of dolichos bean on time of planting (May, June, July, August, September and October) and graded doses of phosphorus (30, 40, 50 and 60 kg/ha P2O5). May sowing took the least number of days to complete the physiological and developmental stages. Longest vine length, pod length and highest number of primary branches were recorded in the July sowing whereas; shortest vine length and lowest number of branches per plant was recorded in October sowing. The highest yield and yield attributes; highest total NPK uptake by the plant was observed in early planting. For higher nutrient uptake, early sowing is preferred. However, in late sown crop, there is need to apply the higher levels of phosphorus to compensate the loss of nutrient uptake. Phosphorus dose of 60 kg/ha recorded the highest yield (123.04 g/plant), total NPK uptake by the plant.