Vol. 12, Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
Lalit Yadav, Rajiv, RB Singh, Budesh Pratap Singh, Manoj Kumar and Ravi Pratap

Abstract:
French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a globally significant leguminous vegetable with a short growth duration, known by various synonyms such as kidney bean, common bean, snap bean, and more. It originated in Middle America and has two primary centre of origin, Mexico and Central America. French beans are rich in nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins. This study was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at horticulture farm CSAU&T Kanpur Uttar Pradesh, India, to investigate the impact of phosphorus and boron fertilization on French bean growth and yield. The experiment laid in Factorial RBD included 12 treatments involving 4 combinations of phosphorus and 3 combinations of boron. The results revealed significant effects of phosphorus and boron treatments on various growth parameters of French bean. Phosphorus treatments, particularly P³ (25 kg/ha), consistently produced taller plants with more branches and pods. Similarly, boron treatments, especially B² (1.5 kg/ha), led to improved plant height and pod production. The combination of P³B² consistently resulted in the best performance in terms of plant height, branches, and pod count. In addition to growth parameters, the study also assessed yield parameters. Phosphorus and boron treatments influenced pod length, width, seeds per pod, test weight, average fresh pod weight, and average seed weight. P³ and B² treatments consistently yielded longer pods, wider pods, more seeds per pod, higher test weights, and heavier pods. Overall, the study highlights the importance of phosphorus and boron fertilization in enhancing the growth and yield of French bean. The combination of 25 kg/ha of phosphorus and 1.5 kg/ha of boron (P³B²) proved to be the most effective treatment for optimizing French bean production. These findings provide valuable insights for farmers and researchers to improve the cultivation of this important leguminous vegetable, ultimately contributing to food security and nutrition.