Performance of Summer Greengram (Vigna radiate L.) under Various Orientations in Semi-arid Region, Haryana (India)

Background: Summer green gram (Vigna radiata L.) commonly known as “moong” belongs to the Fabaceae family that currently is grown in different parts of the world and it has a significant role in nutrition in developing countries. It is a short-duration crop grown over a wide range of environments in India. Light interception and penetration as well as albedo are affected by row orientation. Methods: Line Quantum sensor (Model L1-191R) was used to measure PAR (400 nm-700 nm) at important phenophases at different orientations. In order to better understand how plants absorb light in different row orientations, such as North-South (NS), East-West (EW) and North-West-Southeast (NW-SE), a study was carried out at the Chaudhary Charan Singh Research Farm of Agricultural Meteorology at the Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar India during summer 2020 and 2021. Heat and radiation use efficiency measure at flowering, pod and physiological maturity by using weather data and other indices. Result: It was found that moong variety MH 421’s pod initiation stage was when PAR absorption was greatest, along with other factors including NW-SE orientation. Row orientation heat use efficiency ranges between (2.6 to 7.6 kg ha-1 °C day-1) and in variety (1.4 to 2.7 g MJ-1) and radiation use efficiency ranges between (1.4 to 2.8 g MJ-1) and in row orientation (1.4 to 2.7 g MJ-1) (2.7 to 7.7 kg ha-1 °C day-1). As a consequence, it was determined that diagonal row orientations generated better yield and yield attributes because PAR absorption was higher in such orientations. In dry and semi-arid areas, it can be used to produce food and forage.