Volume 2 Issue 1

Growth and Productivity Performance of Different Rainy Season Legumes in the Gangetic Plains of West Bengal

Author(s): P. GHOSH, A. P. PATRA, R. DHAR ANDS. S. NAYEK

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a rainfed field experiment conducted at the Viswavidyalaya Farm, during rainy seasons of 1998 and 1999 in the Indo-Gangetic soil (entisol) in West Bengal (India) to evaluate the relative performance of rainy season legumes as compared with direct-seeded rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with treatments, consisting of different rainy season legumes, viz., greengram, blackgram, soybean, groundnut (all for seed), ricebean (green fodder) and cowpea (green pod) along with direct-sown rice. The growth stages of different crops were described. Soybean proved to be the most efficient crop in respect of leaf and shoot growth, LAI (5.34), CGR (20.87), NAR (5.80), seed yield (2.49 t ha·1), biomass yield (10.14 t Iia·1), rice equivalent yield (11.77 t ha·•, 96 kg ha· 'day·') and net return (Rs.22511 ha· 1
) [mean of two years]. Cowpea presented lower values of leaf and shoot growth, LAI (1.05), CGR (5.39), LAD (35 days) but higher values ofNAR (6.24), economic yield (5.36 t ha· 1), rice equivalent yield ·(8.47 t ha·•, 123 kg ha·1 day· 1 ) and net return (Rs.14367 ha·1) than most of the crops. All the rainy season legumes proved to be better than direct-seeded rice, out of which soybean and cowpea were highly efficient.

Fig: Dry matter accumulation in leaf of different crops at different growth stages [mean of two years].

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