Optimizing sowing time and method for enhancing horse gram productivity in rainfed ecosystems
2025
Vijayakumar, M | Prabu, P C | Sivakumar, R | Thiyagarajan, R | Arunkumar, V
Horse gram yield parameters are influenced by environmental factors, especially temperature and humidity, which restrict the sowing time since horse gram is a photosensitive crop. A field investigation was conducted at the Regional Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Paiyur, Tamil Nadu, during the northeast monsoon season (October 2017 to September 2019) to determine the optimal sowing time and suitable method of sowing. The trial was carried out using a strip plot design with three replications. Strip one consisted of six dates of sowing viz., D1 - 43rd meteorological standard week (MSW), D2 - 44th MSW, D3 - 45th MSW, D4 - 46th MSW, D5 - 47th MSW and D6 - 48th MSW. Strip two comprised of three methods of sowing viz., S1 - Broadcasting, S2 - Line sowing and S3 - Seed drill sowing. The results of the field investigation revealed that higher growth parameters and yield attributes such as number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, 100 grain weight were recorded in horse gram sown during 40th MSW (D1) than other sowing dates, which correspondingly increase higher grain yield (622 kg/ha) was noted when compared to other time of sowing. Among the different types of sowing under study, line sowing recorded a higher number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, 100 grain weight, grain yield and haulm yield than other methods of sowing. However, in the interaction study 40th MSW and see drill methods of sowing of horse gram recorded higher grain yield as compared with other sowing methods. Hence, it could be concluded that either line or see drill sowing during 40thMSW can produce the highest growth and yield parameters, resulting in increased yield of horse gram under rainfed conditions.
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