Assessment of Cluster Bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) Varieties for Growth and Yield Characters

Assessment of cluster bean varieties for growth and yield characters was conducted at five different farmers’ fields at Manjakollai village, Bogalur block and Vazhuthur village of Mandapam blocks of Ramanathapuram district during the year 2016–17. The aim was to assess the performance of high yielding cluster bean varieties suitable for Ramanathapuram district namely MDU 1, Pusa Navbahar, Pusa Sadabahar and local. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with four treatments with three replications. The observation on plant height (cm), days to 50 per cent flowering (days), number of fruits per plant, individual fruit weight (g), fruit length (cm), fruit girth (cm), yield per plant (g), yield per ha (t/ha) and B: C ratio were recorded and analysed statistically. The results revealed that the highest plant height was recorded in MDU 1 (128.50 cm) and minimum length in local (88.87 cm). In case of days to 50 per cent flowering, Pusa Sadabahar took minimum number days(39.40d) whereas in local check, the value was 44.85d. It was found that MDU1 recorded the highest number of fruits/plant (149.70), individual fruit weight (2.98 g), fruit length (13.40 cm), fruit girth (4.63 cm), yield/plant (211.60 g) and yield/ha (14.20 t/ha). In local variety, all these values were lowest for all these yield traits. MDU 1 registered the highest benefit to cost ratio of 2.94, whereas local check recorded 1.84. Due to highest yield of 14.2 t/ha, MDU1 was found to be most suitable under Ramanthapuram condition.