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Pulses

Pulses

Introduction
Nutritional Profile
Area and Productivity
Climatic Requirements
Suitable Soil Type
Recommended Varieties
Agronomic Practices
Plant Protection
Harvest And Post Management

Introduction

Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)

Black gram is cultivated in the North Eastern Region of India in both summer and kharif seasons under rainfed conditions. It may be grown as a sole crop, mixed crop, catch crop or sequential crop.

Black Gram

Nutritional Profile

For every 30 grams of raw black gram there is 7.4 grams of protein, 100 calories and 3.5 grams of fiber. The fiber can make you feel satiated for longer hours, controls hunger pangs with a very limited calorie intake, thus aiding in losing weight

Area and Productivity

Area, production and average yield of major pulses grown in Assam (2022-23)
Crop Area (‘000 ha) Production (in ton) Productivity (kg/ha)
Blackgram 58.956 39545 671
Arhar 6.052 5244 866
Greengram 13.553 10344 763
Lentil 27.312 22564 826
Peas 28.441 26800 942
Gram (chickpea) 2.568 1964 763
Other pulses 16.426 14126 860
Total pulses 153.308 120587 787

Climatic Requirements

Black gram is a tropical crop which requires a hot and humid climate and is able to tolerate high temperatures. As such, these are short day plants; however, presently day-neutral varieties are also available for cultivation during the summer season. This crop is highly nutritious and contains a high proportion of digestible protein with many essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

Suitable Soil Type

Black gram can be grown on a wide range of soil, but sandy loam soil is preferable

Recommended Varieties

Recommended Varieties:
Varieties Duration (days) Grain Yield (q/ha) Reaction to Diseases
KU 301 80-90 13-15 Resistant to Cercospora leaf spot and YMV. Suitable for kharif season
Pant U 19 80-95 10-12 Resistant to Cercospora leaf spot and YMV. Suitable for kharif & summer season
SB 121 (Saoniamah) 70-80 10-12 Selected from local material. Resistant to Mungbean YMV and Cercospora leaf spot. Recommended for Central Brahmaputra valley zone only.
Beki (SB 27-3) 80-85 12-13 Resistant to CLS, YMV and WB. Can be sown until 30 Sept.
Kolong (SB 25-19) 80-85 12-13 Resistant to CLS, YMV and WB.
Sonkush (SB 23-5) 80-90 9-10 Resistant to CLS, YMV and WB. Suitable for Kharif season under delayed sowing (till 30 Sept)
Manas (SB 32-13) 80-90 10 Resistant to CLS, YMV and WB. Suitable for all zones of Assam except BVZ
Shyamal (AAU SBC 40) 75-85 12 Resistant to CLS & YMV, moderately resistant to WB. Notified for kharif season.
Pabhoi (AAU SBC 47) 75-80 14-16 Resistant to CLS and YMV. Notified for kharif season.
PU-31 70-75 12-14 Resistant to mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus and Cercospora Leaf Spot. Suitable for Kharif in UBVZ, LBVZ, CBVZ, and NBPZ
WBU 109 (Sulata) 70-75 10-12 Resistant to MYMV. Suitable for kharif.
AAU SHL Urd 03 (SB 42-8) 75-80 14-16 Highly resistant to MYMV & CLS, moderately resistant to WB, Leaf roller, pod borer, and storage pests.

Agronomic Practices

Land Preparation

The land is to be ploughed 2-3 times followed by leveling. The stubbles are to be removed. Surface drains should be provided to facilitate quick removal of excess water from the field.

Seed Inoculation

Seeds are inoculated with Rhizobium culture @ 50 g/kg of seeds. However, detailed instructions are available in each packet of the culture. Also inoculate seeds with PSB @ 50 g/kg seed along with Rhizobium.

Seed Rate

22.5 kg/ha or 3 kg/bigha

Spacing
  • Row to row: 30 cm
  • Plant to plant: 10 cm
Sowing Time
  • Kharif: Mid-August to Mid-September
  • Saoniamah: Mid-July to Mid-August
  • Spring/Summer: Mid-February - March
Liming

Requisite amount of lime is to be applied after soil test in order to bring the soil pH around 6.0.

Nutrient management

Compost or FYM @ 1 t/ha or 1.3 q/bigha should be applied

Plant Protection

PESTS OF BLACK GRAM

Gram Pod Borer
Causal Organism: Helicoverpa armigera
Why and Where It Occurs:

Warm weather conditions followed by light rains and dry spells are favorable for the multiplication of Helicoverpa.

How to Identify:
  • Young larva feeds on the leaves and fruits.
  • Internal tissues are eaten severely and completely hollowed out.
  • The caterpillar thrusts its head inside while feeding, leaving the rest of the body outside.
  • Bored fruits with round holes.
Black Gram
Management:
  • Cultural Method: Deep summer ploughing, erecting bird perches @ 50/ha.
  • Mechanical Control: Pheromone traps (Helilure) @ 20-25 per acre, separated by a distance of less than 75 feet, installed at a height of one foot above the plant canopy.
  • Biological Method: Encourage natural enemies such as parasitoids and predators.
  • Chemical Method: Spray Flubendiamide 20% WG, Emmamectin benzoate 5% SG, or Chlorantraniliprole 20 SC at recommended rates.

Aphid

Scientific Name: Aphis craccivora
Why and Where It Occurs:

Aphids are a widely distributed pest of beans and usually attack beans grown at low altitudes.

How to Identify:
  • Both nymphs and adults suck sap from leaves, inflorescence, and stalks, causing the plant to become yellow with reduced vigor.
  • Leaves, inflorescence stalks, and young pods are covered with dark-colored aphids.
  • Honeydew secretion with black ant movements encourages sooty mold growth, reducing photosynthetic efficiency.
Black Gram
Management:
  • Cultural Method: Abiotic factors such as rain and wind, use of tolerant varieties.
  • Mechanical Method: Prune curled leaves or new shoots, dispose of them.
  • Biological Method: Encourage parasitoid and predator populations.
  • Chemical Method: Spray tobacco decoction, Thiamethoxam 25 WG at recommended rates.

Diseases of Black Gram

Cercospora Leaf Spot
Causal Organism: Cercospora spp.
Why and Where It Occurs:

Moist weather, splattering rains, high humidity, or persistent dew favor the disease.

How to Identify:
  • Irregular spots with a pale brown center and reddish-brown margin on lower leaves.
  • Severe infection causes excessive leaf drop and stunting of the plant.
Black Gram
Management:
  • Cultural Method: Remove alternate hosts, debris, use certified seeds, maintain proper drainage, low crop density, wide row planting, mulching.
  • Biological Method: Seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens, encourage beneficial microorganisms.
  • Chemical Method: Spray copperoxychloride, tebuconazole, or propeconazole at recommended rates.

Yellow Mosaic of Black Gram

Vector: Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)
Why and Where It Occurs:

The disease is transmitted by whiteflies and is more active in warm summer conditions.

How to Identify:
  • Scattered yellow spots on young leaves, irregular yellow and green patches on trifoliate leaves.
  • Infected leaves turn completely yellow, stunted growth, reduced flowers, and pods.
Black Gram
Management:
  • Monitoring: Watch for whitefly incidence, use improved resistant varieties, maintain field sanitation, place yellow sticky traps.
  • Cultural Method: Proper spacing, field sanitation, barrier crops.
  • Biological Method: Spray natural extracts, neem-based products.
  • Chemical Method: Spray insecticides only when pests exceed Economic Threshold Level (ETL), use recommended chemicals at specified rates.

Web Blight

Causal Organism: Rhizoctonia solani
Why and Where It Occurs:

Moderate to high moisture conditions, contaminated seeds, susceptible varieties, lack of crop rotation.

How to Identify:
  • Mycelial web on infected leaves, small necrotic lesions with brown centers and olive-green margins.
  • Leaves and branches fall, leaving the main stem bare.
Black Gram
Management:
  • Cultural Method: Use certified seeds, deep ploughing, crop rotation, grow tolerant varieties.
  • Chemical Method: Spray tebuconazole or azoxystrobin at recommended rates.

Harvest And Post Management

Harvesting

Harvesting is to be started when 75% of the pods mature, indicating full darkish color and becoming brittle with slight pressure.

Storage

At 15-18% initial moisture content, black gram can be stored for 10 weeks at 30°C. However, if the initial moisture content can be reduced to as low as 9%, it can be stored for 42 weeks at 20°C.

Helpline and Support

0376 -2340001

Assam Agricultural University

Jorhat, PIN - 785013 Assam

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webadmin@aau.ac.in