Thermal Response of Spring–Summer-Grown Black Gram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) in Indian Subtropics

Abstract

The thermal environment of a crop is one of the prime factors enhancing growth and production by regulating its physiological processes at different phenophases. To study the impact of thermal regime on spring–summer-grown black gram (variety Pant Urd 31), an experiment was conducted with different sowing dates (from the first to the third week of March), soil application of cobalt (Co) and foliar sprays of potassium (K) and boron (B) in various combinations in the split–split plot design during 2020 and 2021. The first-week-of-March-sown crop recorded more accumulated growing degree-days (GDD), photothermal units (PTU) and heliothermal units (HTU) with a longer duration than the later sown crop. Higher daily mean temperature during the reproductive stage of the later sown crop compelled it to complete the phenophases earlier than the normally sown crop, leading to yield reduction. Soil application of Co at 4 kg ha−1 and foliar sprays of K at 1.25% and B at 0.2% mitigated the adversities of excess heat irrespective of sowing dates. Variations in GDD and HTU, respectively, explained variations of about 75.8% and 87.3% in the final dry matter accumulation and of 72.9% and 84.8% in seed yield through polynomial regressions in the respective years. The maximum mean thermal use efficiency (TUE) for biomass production (0.24 g m−2/°C/day−1) and seed yield (0.11 g m−2/°C/day−1) were observed with Co soil application and combined foliar sprays of K and B due to higher dry matter production or seed yield with lower heat units accumulation in the first sown crop.

Plant Nutrition: An Effective Way to Alleviate Abiotic Stress in Agricultural Crops

“…In fact, it stimulates the activities of amino acids and enzymatic antioxidants such as SOD, CAT, POD and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) while delaying leaf senescence by obstructing ethylene biosynthesis [ 272 , 273 ]. A number of literatures have documented the ameliorative role of Co on the adversities of heat, moisture and heavy metal stresses on field crops through leaf area expansion, chlorophyll synthesis, osmotic adjustments, maintaining membrane integrity, efficient use of thermal energy and activation of antioxidant defence mechanisms [ 113 , 274 ]. Alongside this, the adversities related to soil salinity stress in plants can be moderated by means of Co application by promoting normal physiological, biochemical and metabolic activities [ 266 , 275 ].…”

Climate Change and its Impact on Water Requirement and Productivity of Bengal Gram Over Different Agro-climatic Zones of Tamil Nadu

“…A temperature increases of 3C and 4C reduced the yield on an average by 9% and 19%. Because of the higher average daily temperature, more heat units accumulated over shorter times, accelerating the start of flowers and pods and shortening the crop's total lifespan (Banerjee et al, 2021).…”

Expression Level of Heat Shock Protein in Blackgram under Elevated Heat Stress

“…The green and dry plant parts of pulses are used as feed for livestock production systems (Ali and Gupta, 2012). Black gram is thermosensitive crop (Banerjee et al, 2021). Abiotic stresses are responsible for reduction of yield more than 50% directly worldwide (Khan and Shahwar, 2020).…”