PHENOLOGY, PLANT HEIGHT AND YIELD OF MUNGBEAN VARIETIES IN RESPONSE TO PLANTING DATE

Phenology, plant height and yield are most important parameters affected by planting date. A field experiment to study the effect of five planting dates viz. 30th March, 15th April, 15th May, 15th June and 15th July on two mungbean varieties i.e. NM-92 and M-1 were evaluated at NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar during summer 2004. Significant differences were observed among various planting dates for all the parameters except days to 50% flowering and grains pod-1. Sowing date of 30th March took more days to emergence, flowering and physiological maturity. Maximum emergence m-2 was recorded for 15th April sowing. The crop attained maximum plant height under 15th May sowing. Highest grain yield was recorded for early planting of 30th March. Both mungbean varieties produced statistically similar grain yield. It is concluded from the experiment that mungbean could be planted from 1st to 15th April under agroclimatic conditions of Peshawar for obtaining maximum yield.