Production Potential of Short Duration Red Gram [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] in the Southern Laterites of Kerala

Red gram [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is a new introduction in the southern laterites of Kerala. The field experiment was laid out in factorial RBD to assess the performance of the short duration varieties of red gram, APK 1 and Vamban (Rg) 3 under two spacings (40 cm x 20 cm and 60 cm x 30 cm) and three nutrient levels (40:80:40, 30:60:30 and 20:40:20 kg NPK ha-1) in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala during November 2018 to March 2019. Significant variations were recorded in growth and yield attributes and among the varieties, APK 1 was found to be superior with a seed yield of 997.78 kg ha-1. The closer spacing of 40 cm x 20 cm and the highest dose of 40:80:40 kg NPK ha-1 recorded the significantly highest seed yields of 1195.00 kg ha-1 and 1055.83 kg ha-1, respectively. The three factor interaction also revealed APK 1 and Vamban (Rg) 3 to record superior seed yields at the closer spacing and higher nutrient dose. The short stature, lower branching tendency, early flowering nature and higher yields in APK 1, proved its suitability for cultivation in southern laterites of Kerala and the agronomic package would involve sowing seeds at a spacing of 40 cm x 20 cm with an NPK dose of 40:80:40 kg ha-1.