Effect of foliar applied urea and planting pattern on the leaf pigments and yield of cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) grown in low rainfall areas of Western India

An experiment was conducted at Jaisalmer Rajasthan during two consecutive kharif seasons of 2010 and 2011 to explore the effect of foliar application of 1% urea and planting method on the leaf pigmentation and yield of guar under rainfed conditions. Skip row method of planting enhanced total chlorophyll and carotenoid content in the leaves over normal planting of guar in rows spaced at 30 cm. The grain yield was enhanced by 26.91 per cent with skip row planting than the normal planting method (799 kg/ha). Foliar application of 1% urea before flowering (F1) has shown higher values of chlorophyll at 35 DAS 1.613–1.805 mg/g fresh weight of leaf whereas dual application of 1% urea on crop foliage at 30 and 50 days after sowing (F2) has registered 3.756–4.578 and 3.261–3.998 mg/g fresh weight of leaf over water sprayed control at 35, 55 and 70 days of crop growth stages respectively. Similarly, carotenoid content increased by 35.01, 13.01 and 32.25 per cent, respectively at 35, 55 and 70 days of crop growth with dual application of 1% urea on crop foliage at 30 and 50 days after sowing (F2) over control. The yield and yield attributes were also enhanced significantly with F2 treatment. The grain yield and harvest index increased by 83 and 13 per cent respectively with dual application of 1% urea (F2) on crop foliage at 30 and 50 days after sowing. The overall increase in the biomass was attributed to increased grain yield of guar with the foliar application of urea.