Urdbean (Black Gram)

General Introduction

• Common Name: Urdbean, Black Gram
• Botanical Name: Vigna mungo
• Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
• Chromosome Number: 2n = 22
• Origin: India (believed to have originated in the Indo-Gangetic plains)
• Economic Importance:
  • It is one of the most important pulse crops in India, known for its nutritional value.
  • Rich in protein (25–26%), carbohydrates, and vitamins.
  • Commonly used in Indian cuisine for dal, papad, and dosa.

Climatic and Soil Requirements

Climatic Adaptability

• Urdbean thrives in tropical and subtropical climates.
• Temperature:
  • Ideal range: 25–35°C.
  • Extreme temperatures below 15°C or above 40°C affect germination and growth.
• Rainfall:
  • Requires 600–750 mm of well-distributed rainfall.
  • Sensitive to waterlogging and continuous heavy rainfall.
• Grown as a rainfed crop during the kharif season and under irrigated conditions in rabi and summer seasons.

Soil Preference

• Grows best in well-drained loamy or sandy loam soils with good fertility.
• pH range: 6.0–7.5.
• Tolerates acidic and saline soils to a certain extent.

Varieties of Urdbean (Black Gram)

Short Duration Varieties (60–70 Days):

1. • Pant U-19: Resistant to wilt and root rot, suitable for rainfed conditions.
   • Pant U-31: High protein, drought-tolerant, resistant to pests and diseases.
   • T-9: Widely grown, resistant to diseases, suitable for both irrigated and rainfed conditions.

Medium Duration Varieties (70–80 Days):

1. • PU-35: High yield, resistant to pests and diseases.
   • LBG-20: Resistant to diseases, high seed yield.
   • LBG-623: Resistant to powdery mildew and yellow mosaic virus.

Long Duration Varieties (80–90 Days):

1. • KU-96-3: High yield, resistant to yellow mosaic virus.
   • IPU-94-1: High yield, adaptable to rainfed and irrigated conditions.

Other Varieties:

1. • VBN-8: Resistant to pests and diseases, high yield.
   • MAUS-71: High protein, drought-tolerant.
   • BGS-1: Resistant to stress conditions, high pod and seed yield.

Season and Sowing Practices

Sowing Season

• Kharif Season: Sown in June–July, depending on the onset of monsoon.
• Rabi Season: Sown in November–December under irrigated conditions.
• Summer Season (Zaid): Sown in March–April.

Seed Rate

• Rainfed Conditions: 15–20 kg/ha.
• Irrigated Conditions: 20–25 kg/ha.

Spacing

• Row-to-row distance: 30–40 cm.
• Plant-to-plant spacing: 10–15 cm.

Seed Treatment

• Treat seeds with Rhizobium culture (200 g/10 kg seed) to enhance nitrogen fixation.
• For protection against seed-borne diseases, use fungicides such as Carbendazim or Thiram at 2 g/kg seed.

Land Preparation

1. Plough the field 2–3 times to achieve a fine tilth.
2. Remove weeds and stubbles from the previous crop.
3. Level the field to prevent waterlogging.
4. Apply Farmyard Manure (FYM) or compost at 5–10 tons/ha during the last ploughing.

Nutrient Management

Urdbean requires fewer fertilizers but benefits from balanced nutrient application.

Recommended Doses

• Nitrogen (N): 15–20 kg/ha.
• Phosphorus (P2O5): 40–50 kg/ha.
• Potassium (K2O): 20 kg/ha.
• Zinc Sulfate (ZnSO4): 20–25 kg/ha in zinc-deficient soils.

Application Method

• Apply all fertilizers as a basal dose during the last ploughing or at sowing.

Irrigation

• Urdbean is primarily a rainfed crop but needs irrigation during critical stages:
  • Flowering stage
  • Pod formation stage
• Avoid over-irrigation and waterlogging, which cause root rot and poor aeration.

Weed Management

• Manual Weeding:
  • Perform 1–2 hoeings or hand weedings at 20 and 40 days after sowing.
• Chemical Control:
  • Apply Pendimethalin (1 kg a.i./ha) as a pre-emergence herbicide.

Pest and Disease Management

Major Pests

1. Aphids: Suck plant sap and stunt growth. Control: Spray Imidacloprid (0.3 ml/L).
2. Whiteflies: Transmit Yellow Mosaic Virus (YMV). Control: Use systemic insecticides like Dimethoate (1.5 ml/L).
3. Pod Borers: Damage pods and seeds Control: Spray Spinosad (0.5 ml/L).

Major Diseases

1. Yellow Mosaic Virus (YMV):
   • Symptoms: Yellow patches on leaves, reduced pod formation.
   • Control: Grow resistant varieties like Pant U-19 or T-9.
   • Spray Thiamethoxam to control vector whiteflies.

Powdery Mildew: Symptoms: White powdery patches on leaves and pods. Control: Spray Sulfur-based fungicides (2 g/L).

Wilt: Symptoms: Wilting of plants due to fungal infection. Control: Use Trichoderma for seed treatment and ensure proper drainage.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Management

Harvesting

• Urdbean is ready for harvest when:
  • Pods turn black or brown.
  • Leaves start shedding.
• Harvest manually or mechanically using a sickle.

Threshing: Thresh the dried plants using a stick or thresher to extract seeds.

Yield

• Rainfed areas: 6–8 quintals/ha.
• Irrigated areas: 10–15 quintals/ha.

Crop Rotation and Intercropping

• Crop Rotation: Urdbean can be rotated with cereals (rice, wheat, maize) to improve soil fertility.
• Intercropping: Grows well with millets, maize, or sorghum. Suitable for relay cropping systems.