Nitrogen Utilization Potential of Prominent Blackgram Genotypes

Abstract

Background: Pulses in crop rotation are considered to be the boon for maintaining soil fertility as they are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Synchronized flowering in pulses altered source-sink relationship due to rapid translocation of nutrients from leaves to the developing pods. Nitrogen increases the biomass, methionine, tryptophan and grain protein in seed. To explore the genetic diversity of blackgram in nitrogen use pattern field experiments were conducted. Methods: Field experiments were conducted during kharif season of 2019 and 2020 with four black gram cultivars. The experiment was laid out in FRBD design with factor I consisting of 4 blackgram varieties viz., VBN 6, VBN 8, CO6 and ADT 6 and factor II consisted of 4 levels of N viz., 0, 75%, 100% and 125% of recommended dose (25 kg ha-1) of N. Graded levels of nitrogen (18.75, 25.00 and 31.25 kg ha-1) as urea was applied as basal before sowing. Biometric observations and N utilization pattern were recorded. Result: Among the varieties, CO6 recorded the maximum height, number of pods per plant and grain yield. Application of 125% N recorded maximum plant height and SPAD value and was on par with 100% N. Protein content of blackgram varieties ranged from 14.88 to 21.57%. The highest protein content was registered by the var.ADT6 followed by CO6.