Black Gram — Package of Practices
A quick warm-season pulse and a fine soil-builder — control whitefly early to keep yellow mosaic out, and pick the clustered pods as they blacken.
Overview
Black gram (urad) is a short-duration warm-season pulse grown for its protein-rich seed and as a quick soil-improving crop. It fits well as a catch crop and in rotations.
The make-or-break task is controlling whitefly early to keep yellow mosaic virus out; pod borer and timely picking round out the management.
Climate & season
Black gram likes warm, humid weather (about 25–35 °C).
- Mainly kharif; also grown in summer and, in the south, rabi.
- Short duration — a good catch crop.
- Sensitive to waterlogging and to heavy rain at maturity.
Soil & land preparation
Best on a well-drained loam to clay loam at pH 6.5–7.5.
- Prepare a fine, weed-free seedbed.
- Mix in 5–8 t/ha farmyard manure.
- Ensure good drainage.
Choosing a type & seed
Choose short-duration, yellow-mosaic-tolerant types for the season. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- About 15–20 kg/ha.
- Sow 3–4 cm deep.
- Use fresh, well-filled seed.
Seed treatment
- Treat with a recommended fungicide, then a Rhizobium culture.
- Protects seedlings and aids nodulation.
Sowing & spacing
- Sow with the rains (or with irrigation in summer).
- Keep rows 30 cm apart.
- Space plants about 10 cm within the row.
- Sow 3–4 cm deep for an even stand.
- Aim for a quick, uniform crop.
Nutrient management
As a legume the crop fixes much of its own nitrogen, so heavy nitrogen is wasteful; give only a light starter dose with good phosphorus. A Rhizobium seed treatment improves fixation.
| Input | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 5–8 t/ha | Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 20 kg/ha | Light starter only |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) key | 40 kg/ha | Roots, nodules & pods |
Water management
Mostly rainfed in kharif; summer crops need irrigation.
- Most sensitive at flowering and pod filling.
- Avoid waterlogging and excess moisture at maturity.
- Drain quickly after heavy rain.
Weed management
- Give one or two weedings in the first month.
- A recommended pre-emergence herbicide helps on weedy land.
- Keep early growth clean for a strong stand.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow mosaic virus | Disease | Bright yellow mottling on leaves; stunting | Tolerant types, control whitefly early, rogue affected plants |
| Whitefly | Pest | Tiny white flies under leaves; they spread the virus | Yellow sticky traps, neem, recommended insecticide early |
| Pod borer | Pest | Holed pods, caterpillar inside | Monitor, handpick, Bt or recommended insecticide at threshold |
| Aphids & jassids | Pest | Curling, sticky leaves, hopper burn | Conserve natural enemies; spray only if needed |
| Cercospora leaf spot / powdery mildew | Disease | Leaf spots; white powdery growth | Spacing, recommended fungicide if severe |
- Sow a tolerant type and watch whitefly from emergence.
- Use yellow sticky traps and rogue out mosaic-affected plants.
- Conserve natural enemies; act at the threshold.
- Spray only when needed, following the label.
Use crop-protection inputs responsibly
Read the label, use the recommended dose, wear protective gear while spraying, and strictly observe the pre-harvest (waiting) interval before picking — on crops harvested repeatedly this matters at every picking. Prefer cultural and biological methods first and spray only when monitoring shows it is needed.
Harvesting & yield
Pick or pull when most pods have matured and turned dark, generally 70–90 days; pods often ripen in two or three flushes.
- Dry, thresh and clean the seed promptly to avoid weather damage.
- Yields of about 0.8–1.2 t/ha are typical.
Related crops
Black Gram — Package of Practices
A quick warm-season pulse and a fine soil-builder — control whitefly early to keep yellow mosaic out, and pick the clustered pods as they blacken.
Overview
Black gram (urad) is a short-duration warm-season pulse grown for its protein-rich seed and as a quick soil-improving crop. It fits well as a catch crop and in rotations.
The make-or-break task is controlling whitefly early to keep yellow mosaic virus out; pod borer and timely picking round out the management.
Climate & season
Black gram likes warm, humid weather (about 25–35 °C).
- Mainly kharif; also grown in summer and, in the south, rabi.
- Short duration — a good catch crop.
- Sensitive to waterlogging and to heavy rain at maturity.
Soil & land preparation
Best on a well-drained loam to clay loam at pH 6.5–7.5.
- Prepare a fine, weed-free seedbed.
- Mix in 5–8 t/ha farmyard manure.
- Ensure good drainage.
Choosing a type & seed
Choose short-duration, yellow-mosaic-tolerant types for the season. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- About 15–20 kg/ha.
- Sow 3–4 cm deep.
- Use fresh, well-filled seed.
Seed treatment
- Treat with a recommended fungicide, then a Rhizobium culture.
- Protects seedlings and aids nodulation.
Sowing & spacing
- Sow with the rains (or with irrigation in summer).
- Keep rows 30 cm apart.
- Space plants about 10 cm within the row.
- Sow 3–4 cm deep for an even stand.
- Aim for a quick, uniform crop.
Nutrient management
As a legume the crop fixes much of its own nitrogen, so heavy nitrogen is wasteful; give only a light starter dose with good phosphorus. A Rhizobium seed treatment improves fixation.
| Input | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 5–8 t/ha | Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 20 kg/ha | Light starter only |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) key | 40 kg/ha | Roots, nodules & pods |
Water management
Mostly rainfed in kharif; summer crops need irrigation.
- Most sensitive at flowering and pod filling.
- Avoid waterlogging and excess moisture at maturity.
- Drain quickly after heavy rain.
Weed management
- Give one or two weedings in the first month.
- A recommended pre-emergence herbicide helps on weedy land.
- Keep early growth clean for a strong stand.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow mosaic virus | Disease | Bright yellow mottling on leaves; stunting | Tolerant types, control whitefly early, rogue affected plants |
| Whitefly | Pest | Tiny white flies under leaves; they spread the virus | Yellow sticky traps, neem, recommended insecticide early |
| Pod borer | Pest | Holed pods, caterpillar inside | Monitor, handpick, Bt or recommended insecticide at threshold |
| Aphids & jassids | Pest | Curling, sticky leaves, hopper burn | Conserve natural enemies; spray only if needed |
| Cercospora leaf spot / powdery mildew | Disease | Leaf spots; white powdery growth | Spacing, recommended fungicide if severe |
- Sow a tolerant type and watch whitefly from emergence.
- Use yellow sticky traps and rogue out mosaic-affected plants.
- Conserve natural enemies; act at the threshold.
- Spray only when needed, following the label.
Use crop-protection inputs responsibly
Read the label, use the recommended dose, wear protective gear while spraying, and strictly observe the pre-harvest (waiting) interval before picking — on crops harvested repeatedly this matters at every picking. Prefer cultural and biological methods first and spray only when monitoring shows it is needed.
Harvesting & yield
Pick or pull when most pods have matured and turned dark, generally 70–90 days; pods often ripen in two or three flushes.
- Dry, thresh and clean the seed promptly to avoid weather damage.
- Yields of about 0.8–1.2 t/ha are typical.