ICAR-IIHR identified a new Yard Long Bean Selection Arka Mangala for high yield. Yard Long Bean (Vigna unguiculata sub sp sesquipedalis L.) is an important legume vegetable grown for its tender long green pods. Mr. H. Babu Shetty a progressive farmer of Kundi Kodlu Manae, Melhosur Village, Kundapura Taluk of Udupi District raised quarter acre of yard long bean var. Arka Mangala at his field during rabi season 2018-19. Seeds of Arka Mangala were distributed to Mr. H. Babu Shetty by ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru and KVK, Brahmavar under ICRISAT-IIHR Bhoo Samrudhi Project. He planted the crop in the month of November at a distance of 45cm between plants and 120cm between rows. He has followed standard package of practices recommended by ICAR-IIHR. To improve yield of yard long bean, the recommended dosage of foliar application of Arka Vegetable Special (4-5g per litres of water along with 1 shampoo sachet and 2 medium sized lemons) has been practiced for three times. Mr. H. Babu Shetty was constantly in touch with IIHR scientists (Dr. D. Kalaivanan, Dr. P.V.R. Reddy and Dr R. Senthil Kumar) and KVK, Brahmavar Staff visited his field regularly under Bhoo Samrudhi Project.
The farmer realized very good pod yield of 3.0 t from quarter acre in yard long bean and could sell the produce @ Rs 45 per kg in nearby market. He was very happy with the performance of yard long bean var. Arka Mangala in terms of better pod length, crispness, green pod, yield and net returns. He earned a net profit of Rs 97,500 from quarter acre for four months crop duration and very much satisfied. The farmer expressed happiness that he has got good yield and net profit with IIHR yard long bean variety Arka Mangala. He also opined that this variety can give continuous flowering and fruiting and can be snapped very easily without parchment due to string less nature of the pod. Further, the farmer opined that as the variety produces early fruiting, with tender green fruits, which are very much preferred in the local markets and fetches higher price. Once he started growing yard long bean in his field, neighbouring vegetable growers also came to know about this variety and field performance which he was grown in the field. He has also motivated other farmers in the village and neighbouring villages also to grow this kind of improved variety which was developed by ICAR-IIHR. By seeing the excellent performance of var. Arka Mangala in Mr Babu Shetty field, farmers of the village and nearby villages expressed their interest for taking up cultivation of Arka Mangala. Based on the interest shown by the farmers, nearly 29 kg of Arka Mangala seed materials were distributed under ICRISAT Bhoo Samrudhi for cultivation in upcoming rabi 2019-20 season.
