Response of Phosphorus and Vermicompost Application on Growth and Yield of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) under Rainfed Condition in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at Mahatma Gandhi Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya Chitrakoot, Satna (M.P.) during the Kharif season of 2021–2022. The objective was to evaluate the response of green gram to phosphorus and vermicompost on growth parameters, yield attributes, and overall yield under the rainfed conditions of the Chitrakoot area. The experimental soil had a sandy loam texture with medium phosphorus availability. A randomized block design was employed with 12 treatment combinations and three replications. The PDM 139 variety of green gram was cultivated following recommended agronomic practices. Results indicated that applying 60 kg P ha⁻¹ and 7.5 tons vermicompost ha⁻¹ at 40 days after sowing (DAS) significantly enhanced growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, and number of branches. Yield attributes, including the number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, and 1000-seed weight, also showed significant improvement. Additionally, the application of 60 kg P ha⁻¹ and 7.5 tons vermicompost ha⁻¹ at 40 DAS markedly increased seed yield (q ha⁻¹) compared to the control.