Introduction

Black gram originated in South Asia, where it has been in cultivation from ancient times and is one of the most highly prized pulses of India. It is very widely used in Indian cuisine.Black gram has also been introduced to other tropical areas such as the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, Myanmar and Africa.

Varieties

Andhra Pradesh	COGG-912, IPM 2-14, IPU 02-43, IPU-0208, Kamadeva (OUM-11-5), LAM-460, LBG 787, U 391, Madhira Pesara 347, MGG 207, MGG 347, Sri Rama, Trombay apsara (TM-96-2), TU 40, VBG 04-008, VBN 8, Yadadri
Bihar	Malaviya Jankalyani (HUM 16), Malviya Janchetna (HUM-12), Meha (IPM-99-125), TMB-37 (TM 99-37)
Gujarat	GBM 1, GAM 5, Gujarat mung 3, Gujarat mung 4, Pusa-9531
Haryana	Basanti, Ganga-8 (Gangotri), KUG 479, MH 125, MH 318, MH 421, Muskan (MH-96-1), Pusa Vishal, Pusa-9531, Sattya (MH-2-15)
Madhya Pradesh	NUL 7, Trombay Jawahar mung-3 (TJM-3), Pairy Mung, Pusa-9531
Maharashtra	Utkarsh KM 11-584, NUL 7, BM 2003-2, BM 2002-1, VAIBHAV (PHULE M-9339), BPMR-145, PKV MOONG 8802, PKV AKM 4, TARM 2, PKV green gold
Punjab	Ganga-8 (Gangotri), IPM 02-3, KUG 479, ML 2056, PAU 911, Pusa Vishal, Pusa-9531, Sattya (MH-2-15), SML 832
Rajasthan	Ganga-1 (Jamnotri), Ganga-8 (Gangotri), IPM 02-3, KUG 479, MSJ 118, Pusa Vishal, RMG 344 (DHANU), RMG 492, RMG 975, Sattya (MH-2-15)
Tamil Nadu	CO (Gg) 8, COGG-912, IPM 2-14, IPU 02-43, Kamadeva (OUM-11-5), LBG 787, LU 391, PKV AKM 4, TU 40, VBG 04-008, VBN (Gg) 3, VBN 8
Telangana	IPU-0208, Yadadri, Sri Rama, COGG-912, IPU 02-43, LU 391, VBG 04-008, TU 40, LBG 787, VBN 8, Trombay apsara (TM-96-2), MGG 347, LAM-460, Kamadeva (OUM-11-5), Madhira Pesara 347, IPM 2-14, MGG 207
Uttar Pradesh	Ganga-8 (Gangotri), KM 2195 (Swati), KM 2328, KUG 479, Malaviya Jankalyani (HUM 16), Malviya Jagriti (HUM-2), Meha (IPM-99-125), Pant Moong 4 (UPM-92-1), Pant Mung-5, PDM-139, Pusa-9531, TMB-37 (TM 99-37)
West Bengal	WBU 109, Malaviya Jankalyani (HUM 16), Malviya Janchetna (HUM-12), Meha (IPM-99-125), TMB-37 (TM 99-37)

Seed rate and spacing 

Seed rate : Sow black gram seeds @ 22.5 kg/ha or 3 kg/bigha

Spacing:  Row to row : 30 cm ∙ Plant to plant : 10 cm

Soil Requirement

Black gram can be grown on a wide range of soils, but sandy loam soil is preferable.

Fertilizer doses 

Compost or FYM @ 1 t/ha.

Nutrient	Requirement  Kg/ha	Form	Fertilizer requirement Kg/ha
N	15	Urea	32
P2O5	35	SOP	220
K2O	15	Mop	25

Diseases of Black gram

1.Anthracnose: Glomerella lindemuthianum

Symptoms: Circular, black, sunken spots with dark center and bright red orange margins on leaves.In infections, the affected parts wither off. Seedlings get blighted due to infection soon after seed germination.severe  

Management Practices: Hot water treatment at 54º for 10 min.Follow crop rotation.Remove and destroy infected plant debris in soil. 

Spray Mancozeb/zineb @2 kg in 1000 lit. of water

2.Dry root rot : Macrophomina phaseolina

Symptoms:Yellowing and drooping of the leaves. The leaves later fall off and the plant dies within a week. Dark brown lesions are seen on the stem at ground level and bark shows shredding symptom.The affected plants can be easily pulled out leaving dried, rotten root portions in the ground. The rotten tissues of stem and root contain a large number of black minute sclerotia.

Management Practices: Plant in well-draining soils.Prepare seed beds to enhance rapid germination • Proper irrigation is provided to prevent flooding and saturated soil conditions.Soil amendment with farm yard manure @ 5 tonnes/acre.

Seed treatment Trichoderma viride 1.0%@ 4 gm/kg seed.

3.Root Knot Nematode: Meloidogyne incognita Goldi

Nature of damage: Poor and uneven growth of plants in patches. Heavy infestations lead to stunted growth of plants with lesser branches and pale green leaves, roots show bearing knots or galls (uneven swellings). Galls are produced mostly on root tips affected plants show wilting symptoms.

Management Practices: Destroy crop residue infested with disease and nematodes.Inclusion of cereal or grasses in the cropping system.Crop rotation for 2–3 years with a non-host crop like sesame, mustard and winter cereals.

4.Reniform Nematode: Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford & Oliveiria.

Nature of damage: Infected plants are distributed in patches and show stunted growth and early senescence. The leaves of such plants are pale green in colour. The plants show uneven growth when at the younger stage.

Management Practices: Growing alternative non-host crop,changing the date of crop sowing.Destroy crop residue infested with disease and nematodes. Soil solarization by covering the soil with transparent polythene sheets during summer months (April, May, June) reduces the population.

5.Root lesion Nematode: Pratylenchus thornei Sher & Allen

Nature of damage: Root-lesion nematodes are migratory endoparasites that cause dark brown to black necrotic lesions on the epidermal, cortical and endodermal cells of roots.young seedlings, the most visible above-ground symptoms observed in the field are stunted growth.

Management Practices: Destroy crop residue infested with disease and nematodes.Inclusion of cereal or grasses in the cropping system.Crop rotation for 2–3 years with a non-host crop like sesame, mustard and winter cereals.

6.Cercospora leaf spot : Cercospora canescens

Symptoms: Small, circular spots develop on the leaves with grey centre and reddish brown margin. The several spots coalesce to form brown irregular lesions.The brown lesions may be seen on petioles, branches. Powdery growth of the fungus may be seen on the centre of the spots. 

Management Practices: Inter cropping the moong with tall growing cereals and millets. Follow clean cultivation.Use disease free seed. Maintain low crop population density and wide row planting.

Foliar spray

Carbendazim 50% WP@ 250-500 gm/ha in 750 liter of water (100-200 gm/acre in 300 liter of water

7.Powdery mildew :Erysiphe polygoni

Symptoms: White powdery patches appear on leaves and other green parts which later become dull colored. These patches gradually increase in size and become circular covering the lower surface also. When the infection is severe, both the surfaces of the leaves are completely covered by whitish powdery growth.Foliage becomes yellow causing premature defoliation.

Management Practices: 

Foliar spray

Penconazole 10% EC @ 250 ml/ha in 500 liter of water (100 ml/acre in 200 liter of water).

Sulphur 80% WP @ 3.13 kg/ha in 750-1000 liters of water (1.252 kg/acre in 300-400 liters of water).Carbendazim 50% WP@ 500 gm/ha in 750 liter of water (200 gm/acre in 300 liter of water)

8.Yellow mosaic: Mungbean yellow mosaic virus

Symptoms: Initially small yellow patches or spots appear on green lamina of young leaves.Soon it develops into a characteristic bright yellow mosaic or golden yellow mosaic symptom. Yellow discoloration slowly increases and leaves turn completely yellow. Infected plants mature later and bear few flowers and pods.The pods are small and distorted. Early infection causes death of the plant before seed set. 

Management Practices: Rogue out the diseased plants up to 40 days after sowing. Remove the weed hosts periodically.Cultivate the crop during rabi season. Follow mixed cropping by growing two rows of maize (60 x 30 cm) or sorghum (45 x 15 cm) or cumbu (45 x 15 cm) for every 15 rows of green gram. 

9.Rust: Uromyces phaseoli typica

Symptoms:Circular reddish brown pustules which appear more commonly on the underside of the leaves, less abundant on pods and sparingly on stems.When leaves are severely infected, both the surfaces are fully covered by rust pustules.Shriveling followed by defoliation.

Management Practices: Remove the infected plant debris and destroy, Dusting with Sulphur 85 % DP @ 15 – 20 kg / ha (6 – 8 kg / acre)

Pest of Black gram

1.Aphid: Aphis craccivora

Nature of damage: Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaves, buds and pods.Curling occurs in infested leaves and at advanced stage plants may wither and die.Plants remain stunted and sooty moulds grow on the honey dew excreted by the insects.

Management Practices: Conserve natural enemies,Augmentative release of natural enemies.

Leaf hopper: Empoasca kerri

Nature of damage: Leaves mottled and yellowish in colour, Green colour insects found under surface of leaves.

Management Practices: Early sowing. Use tolerant varieties. Early planting to escape the damage.Use yellow sticky traps.Destroy the affected part along with aphid population in the initial stage.

Phorate 10% CG 150000g/ ha  (6000 g/ acre)

2.White fly: Bemisia tabaci

Nature of damage: Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaves.Plants remain stunted and sooty molds grow on the honeydew excreted by the insects. The infected field looks sickly and blighted in appearance.

Management Practices: Early sowing. Use tolerant varieties. Early planting to escape the damage.

3.Blue butterfly: Lampides boeticus

Nature of damage: Buds with boreholes.Presence of slug like caterpillar.Honey dew secretion with black ant movements

Management Practices: Deep summer ploughing in 2-3 years to eliminate quiescent pupa.Early sowing, short duration varieties.Avoid closer plant spacing.Collect and destroy larvae and adults to the extent possible. Install pheromone traps at a distance of 50 m @ 5 traps/ha for each insect pest.

Release egg parasitoid Trichogramma spp.at weekly intervals @0.6 lakh/acre/ week for four times.

4.Bihar hairy caterpillar: Spilosoma obliqua 

Nature of damage: Young larvae feed gregariously mostly on the under surface of the leaves.Caterpillars feed on leaves and in severe infestation the whole crop is defoliated.Drying up of infected leaves is the main symptom.

Management Practices: Deep summer ploughing,Use of well rotten manures.Intercropping with pigeon pea at a row ratio of 2:1 is effective in reducing the insect attack.Collection and destruction of larvae.Dig the trenches of 1 inch depth between the fields & dust the trenches to kill the larvae in pits.

5.Red spider mite: Tetranychus urticae

Nature of damage: Affected leaves become reddish brown and bronzy In severe infestation silken webbing on the leaves.Leaves wither and dry. Flower and fruit formation is affected.

Management Practices: Provide adequate irrigation. Sprays of water or soap water, Conserve natural enemies. Augmentative release of natural enemies.

6.Gram pod borer:Helicoverpa armigera

Symptoms: Defoliation in early stages. Larva’s head alone thrust inside the pods and the rest of the body hanging out.Pods with round holes.

Management Practices: Ridge planting + cover crops like soybean, cowpea, moth bean.Pheromone traps for 12/ha. Bird perches 50/ha.

MONOCROTOPHOS 36% SL 437ml/500-1000l water/ha (175ml/acre in 200-400 l water)

7.Spotted pod borer: Maruca testulalis

Symptoms: Defoliation in early stages.Larva’s head alone thrust inside the pods and the rest of the body hanging out.Pods with round holes.

Management Practices. Handpick the larvae during early stagesand destroy them in kerosene mixed water.Use light trap @ 1/acre and operate between 6 pm and 10 pm. Install pheromone traps @ 4-5/acre for monitoring adult moths activity (replacethe lures with fresh lures after every 2-3 weeks), Erect of bird perches @ 20/acre for encouraging predatory birds such as Kingcrow, common mynah etc.Set up bonfire during evening hours at 7-8 pm

MONOCROTOPHOS 36% SL 437ml/500-1000l water/ha (175ml/acre in 200-400 l water)