Abstract
The study was conducted at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur during the Rabi (winter) seasons of 2009 to 2012, to study the effects of agro-management practices of French bean. Four experiments were carried out where variety, sowing date, row spacing, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and harvesting stage and drying period were used to create management variations in the same location. Four experiments were done to achieve the objectives: Experiment 1 was conducted in the Rabi seasons of 2009-10 and 2010-11, where nine varieties viz. BARI Jharsheem-1, BARI Jharsheem-2, Sylhet local-1, Sylhet local -2, Sylhet local- 3, Sylhet local- 4, Sylhet local -5, Sylhet local- 6 and Sylhet local-7 were used. Experiment 2 was conducted in the Rabi season of 2010-11 and 2011-12 where five dates of sowing viz. 5 and 20 November, 5 and 20 December and 5 January and three row spacings viz. 20, 30, and 40 cm. The 3rd experiment was conducted in the Rabi (winter) seasons of 2010-11 and 2011-12, consisting of five levels for each of nitrogen (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha-1) and phosphorus (0, 22, 33, 44 and 55 kg P ha-1), besides an absolute control (0:0 kg N: P ha-1). The 4th experiment consisted of seven harvesting at viz. 22, 24, 26 28, 30, 32 and 34 days after flowering and three drying period viz. 3, 5 and 7 days after post harvest ripening period (by sun drying). Results indicated that among the varieties, BARI Jharsheem-1 and BARI Jharsheem-2 gave higher seed yield (1494.75 kg ha-1 and 1428.42 kg ha-1) than other varieties. BARI Jharsheem-1 and BARI Jharsheem-2 produced the highest number of pods plant1, seeds pod-1 and higher total dry matter production as well as LAI, CGR and NAR. BARI Jharsheem-1 produced the highest seed quality (germination and vigour index). The highest seed yield (1788.34t ha-1) was recorded from 20 November sowing with 20 cm x 15 cm spacing followed by 5 December sowing with same row spacing (1826.67 t ha-1 averaged over years). The French bean produced higher seed yield when the crop was sown on 20 November at 20 cm row spacing but best quality seed was produced at 30 cm row spacing. Seed yield and seed quality of French bean was also influenced by varying plant nutrition requirements during its growth period. The highest seed yield (1563.33 kg ha-1) and the best seed quality (96.04 and 93.04% germination, 2899.14 and 2626.76 vigour index at the beginning and end of storage) were obtained when the crop was fertilized with 150 kg N ha 1and phosphorus 44 kg P ha1. Better quality seeds (94.07- 95.00 % germination and 2862.96-2957.67 vigour index) were obtained when the pods were harvested within 28-32 days after flowering and the seeds were separated from pods after 3-5 days of sun drying. The present study revealed that variety BARI Jharsheem-1 sown on 20 November to 5 December at 30 cm apart rows with 150 kg N and 44kg P ha-1 produced the best quality seed.