Performance of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties on growth and yield under different dates of sowing during rabi season

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2023-24 at Post Graduate Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, VNMKV, Parbhani. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with Twelve treatments in three replications by keeping sowing time (D₁: 12^th October, D₂: 26^th October, D₃: 9^th November and D₄: 23^rd November) as a first factor and Varieties (V₁: Varun, V₂: Phule Viraj and V₃: Phule Rajma) as a second factor. Results revealed that, among the varieties the highest plant height (32.61 cm), No. of pods/plant (9.33), No. of seeds/pod (3.47), pod dry weight/plant (8.39 g), seed weight/plant (6.77 g), straw yield/plant (11.66 g) and seed index (21.80 g) was recorded in variety Phule Viraj. However, the number of branches (4.69), number of functional leaves (17.98), leaf area (10.63 dm²) and dry matter (16.20 g) were found in variety Phule Viraj. Regarding the different sowing time, No. of pods/plant (9.84), No. of seeds/pod (3.49), pod dry weight/plant (8.81 g), seed weight/plant (7.64 g), straw yield/plant (11.63 g) and seed index (22.29 g) was highest in plants sown on 9^th November. On the strength of findings, it can be inferred that Phule Viraj Scheduled for sowing 9^th November could be an ideal for cultivation in Department of Agronomy, VNMKV, Parbhani.