Effect of Planting Geometry and Nutrient Management on Yield, Economics and Quality of Dwarf Rice Bean (Vigna umbellata) under Rainfed Condition

Rice bean (Vigna umbellata) is one of the under-utilized crops which can become a promising pulse crop. A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2020 at Research Farm, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur to study the effect of planting geometry and nutrient management on yield, economics and quality of dwarf rice bean under rainfed condition. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) and nutrient management which was replicated thrice. The treatments comprised of three planting geometry viz; S1 : 30 cm x 10 cm, S2: 45 cm x 10 cm and S3: 60 cm x 10 cm and four nutrient management practices viz; F0: Seed treatment with molybdenum + phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), F1: 20 kg P2O5/ha + seed treatment with molybdenum+ PSB, F2:40 kg P2O5 /ha + seed treatment with molybdenum+ PSB and F3: 60 kg P2O5 /ha + seed treatment with molybdenum+ PSB. Results indicate that planting geometry at 60 cm × 10 cm and nutrient management at 60 kg P2O5/ha with seed treatment of molybdenum + phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) significantly influenced the yield and quality of dwarf rice bean and gave the maximum economic returns. The highest seed yield (14.65 q/ha) was recorded with spacing S3 which was significantly superior over S1 upto the tune of 8.7% (13.37q/ha). Among the different nutrient management practices, highest seed yield (16.01 q/ha) was recorded from F3 which was found to be at par with F2 (15.70 q/ha) and significantly superior over F1 and F0 (12.71 q/ha and 11.70 q/ha, respectively). The increase in seed yield in F3 and F2 were 26.9% and 25.5%, respectively over control (F0). Among the various planting geometry, the highest gross return (Rs 117240/ha), net return (Rs 71334/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.54) were recorded from S3 and lowest gross return (Rs 106960/ha), net return (Rs 60304/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.29) from S1. In respect of nutrient management the maximum gross return (Rs128053/ha), net return (Rs 80877/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.72) were associated with F3 and lowest from F0 (Rs 93360, Rs 48058 /ha 2.06, respectively). The interaction effect of S3 and F3 gave highest crude protein yield (397.75 kg/ha) which was 48.2 % higher than S1 and F0 (205.92 kg/ha).