Effect of Different Phosphorus Levels on A Vegetable Crop of French Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.)

The response of French bean to fertilisers varies with their type and combinations, which affect its various vegetative, root and yield contributing characters. French bean, being a leguminous crop with a large proportion of seeds in its total biomass, requires fairly high amount of phosphorus in its nutritional requirement. Therefore, it seldom shows deficiency of phosphorus, and responds appreciably and promptly to its application. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in the rabi season of 2009–10 at Amar Singh PG College, Lakhaoti, Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, to assess the effect of different phosphorus levels viz., 0, 35, 70 and 105 kg P₂O₅ per hectare on a vegetable crop of French bean. The effect of different treatments on different vegetative, root and yield attributing characters were appraised. Among the different phosphorus levels applied, 70 kg P2O5/ha was found to be the best and most economic dose in French bean, as its application resulted in maximum increment in all the characters studied including yield (121.35 quintals of green pods/hectare) with an average 31.40 number of green pods/plant. The increment in all the characters was maximum for the dose of 70 kg P2O5/ha, over 35 kg P2O5/ha, and control. Although, there was further increment in the values of these characters with the application of 105 kg P₂O₅/ha, but they were quite little and non-significant. Above all, the economic returns and benefit-cost ratio was highest (2.91) with the application of 70 kg P2O5/ha than any other treatment. The findings of this study indicate that 70 kg P2O5/ha might be considered as an optimum dose of phosphorus for profitable cultivation of French bean in north Indian plain conditions.