Foliar Nutrition in Spring Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] in Lower Gangetic Plains of West Bengal

Background: Blackgram is an important pulse crop having potential to meet up nutritional security. It is mainly grown in rice-fallow condition under receding soil moisture, thus facing moisture deficit at critical growth stages. As a consequence, this crop suffers from reduced nutrient uptake from soil that results in reduction of productivity. A suitable way to nourish the crop under such circumstances is through foliar nutrition. Methods: An experiment to assess the role of foliar nutrition on overall performance of spring blackgram was conducted at "AB" block farm, Kalyani, Nadia of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, India in 2018 and 2019 spring seasons. Eight foliar nutrition schedules [control, water spray, CaCl2@ 0.1%, KCl @ 0.2%, KNO3 @ 0.2%, salicylic acid @100 ppm, complex NPK (19:19:19) @ 2% and DAP @ 2% at initiation of flower and pod] were allocated in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Result: Complex fertilizer NPK (19:19:19) @ 2% improved crop growth attributes like, LAI, CGR, chlorophyll content and nodules plant-1. Yield components, yield along with net return increased with complex NPK (19:19:19) @2%. The protein content was also the highest with complex NPK (19:19:19) @2%. So, foliar nutrition with 2% NPK (19:19:19) at initiation of flower and pod may be recommended for maximizing productivity of spring blackgram.