Growth, phenology and thermal indices of mungbean as influenced by sowing time, varieties and planting geometry

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2012 to assess the effects of sowing time (1, 10, 20, and 30 July) and planting geometry (30 cm × 10 cm and 22.5 cm × 10 cm) on the growth, phenology and thermal indices of mungbean varieties (PAU 911 and ML 818). The crop sown on 1 July recorded higher plant height and dry matter accumulation (DMA) and required higher thermal indices viz. accumulated growing degree days (AGDD), accumulated photothermal units (APTU) and accumulated heliothermal units (AHTU) to complete various phenological stages as compared to all other sowing times. Mungbean variety PAU 911 took lesser days to complete various phenological stages and required lesser AGDD, AHTU and APTU as compared to ML 818. Plants in planting geometry of 30 cm × 10 cm recorded significantly higher DMA and attained significantly higher AGDD, AHTU and APTU as compared to in 22.5 cm × 10 cm geometry.