Soil

Sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with good drainage and the pH ranging from 6-5-7.5

Season

July and January are highly suitable for cultivation.

Seed treatment

Treat seeds with Trichoderma viride 4 g/kg or Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g/kg or Carbendazim 2 g/kg of seeds before sowing.

Seed rate

1.5 kg of seeds/ha is required.

Preparation of field

Plough the field to fine tilth and dig pits of size 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm at 2.5 x 2 m spacing and form basins.

Sowing

Sow the seeds (5 seeds / pit) and thin the seedlings to two/pit after 15 days of sowing.

Irrigation

Irrigate the basin before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once a week.

Application of fertilizers

Apply 10 kg of FYM, 100 g of NPK 6:12:12 mixture as basal dose per pit and N @ 10 g pit 30 days after sowing. Apply Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria @ 2 kg/ha and Pseudomonas 2.5 kg/ha along with FYM 50 kg and neem cake @ 100 kg before last ploughing.

After cultivation

Hoeing and weeding can be done thrice or as and when necessary. Provide stakes and train the plants to reach the pandal height (2 m). Pandal is not essential for Co 2 variety. Spray Ethrel 100 ppm (1 ml in 10 lit of water) four times from 10 to 15 days after sowing at weekly intervals.