EFFECT OF IRRIGATION LEVELS BASED ON IW:CPE RATIOS AND TIME OF NITROGEN APPLICATION ON YIELD AND MONETARY RETURN OF FRENCHBEAN (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L.).

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation levels based on IW:CPE ratios ( 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0) and six levels of time of nitrogen applications (100% basal, 50% N as basal + 50% N at branching, 50% N as basal + 25% N at branching + 25% N at flowering, 50% N as basal + 25% N at branching + 25% N at podding, 50% N as basal + 25% N at flowering + 25% N at podding, 25% N as basal + 25% N at branching + 25% N at flowering + 25% at podding stage) on seed yield, straw yield and economy of frenchbean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replications during winter season of 2002-03 and 2003-04. Scheduling of irrigation at an IW:CPE ratio of 1.0 recorded significantly higher seed and straw yield, net return and benefit : cost ratio during both the years of study and also in the pooled results. Among the time of nitrogen applications, application of half nitrogen as basal and remaining half nitrogen at branching stage was proved to be the most effective mode of nitrogen application by recording the highest seed yield, straw yield, net return and benefit: cost ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]