Best Fertilizer for Urad in India
Urad (black gram) is a short-duration kharif and summer pulse closely related to moong. It fixes nitrogen through Rhizobium nodules, so it needs only a small starter dose of nitrogen and res
Overview
Urad (black gram) is a short-duration kharif and summer pulse closely related to moong. It fixes nitrogen through Rhizobium nodules, so it needs only a small starter dose of nitrogen and responds well to phosphorus. As the crop matures in about 70 to 90 days, nearly all fertiliser is applied as a basal dose at sowing. A good Rhizobium and PSB seed treatment supplies much of the nitrogen and saves fertiliser. Heavy urea encourages leafy growth, delays maturity and reduces nodulation. Urad also enriches the soil for the next crop. Always base your dose on a soil test or Soil Health Card and confirm local rates with your KVK.
Recommended NPK dose for Urad
A typical recommended dose is about 8 kg N, 16 kg P2O5 and 8 kg K2O per acre, which is roughly 20 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 20 kg K2O per hectare. Note the low nitrogen and high phosphorus typical of legumes. Sulphur at 8 kg per acre helps on deficient soils. Potash is added only where soil tests show a shortage. These are general ranges only. Get a soil test or Soil Health Card done and follow the dose advised by your KVK, since requirements change with soil and season.
Application schedule
Urad needs all its fertiliser as a single basal dose at sowing. Apply the full nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and sulphur in the seed furrow or just below the seed before sowing, so the young roots reach it quickly. No nitrogen top dressing is required. If the crop looks pale at flowering on poor soils, a 2 percent urea or DAP spray at flowering and pod formation can help, but avoid broadcasting extra urea on the soil which delays maturity.
Organic & bio-fertilizers
Mix 4 to 5 tonnes of well rotted FYM or compost per acre, about 10 tonnes per hectare, into the soil before sowing. Treat seed first with fungicide, then with black gram Rhizobium at 5 g per kg seed plus PSB at 5 g per kg seed, dry in shade and sow the same day. This biological treatment supplies much of the nitrogen and unlocks soil phosphorus. Vermicompost at 1 tonne per acre can replace part of the FYM. Incorporating urad residue adds organic matter for the next crop.
Micronutrients & deficiency signs
Urad responds to sulphur and to zinc and iron on problem soils. Apply 8 kg sulphur per acre through gypsum where soil is deficient. For zinc deficiency, seen as yellowing between veins and small leaves, apply 10 kg zinc sulphate per acre or spray 0.5 percent zinc sulphate. Iron deficiency in alkaline soils shows as yellow new leaves with green veins; spray 0.5 percent ferrous sulphate. Apply boron only if a soil test confirms a shortage, as excess boron is toxic to the crop.
Tips & cautions
Treat seed with fungicide first, then Rhizobium and PSB, and sow the same day. Do not overuse nitrogen; heavy urea delays maturity and gives leaves instead of pods. Place phosphorus near the seed for better uptake. A flowering-stage foliar spray helps more than extra soil urea. Ensure good drainage as waterlogging kills nodules. Test soil every two to three years and follow your KVK for the local dose.
These are general recommendations. For the exact dose, follow your Soil Health Card / soil test and local KVK, and avoid over-applying urea.
FAQs
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Urad pests & diseases
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