Gurez is cold hilly and extreme northern temperate region of Kashmir valley which has short agriculture growing season due to harsh winter months. Gurez has rich diversity of flora and fauna due to its unique climatic conditions. Vegetables like Cole crops, Root Vegetables, Potato and Rajmash are grown in valley during summer months. Among different vegetable crops Beans have great scope for cultivation in valley owing to its short duration growing season. Beans are suited to climatic conditions of valley during summer season. In order to improve nutritional security of valley the present investigation was undertaken with objective of growing of beans in different altitudes of Gurez valley to find the best suitable variety for the valley. The study was conducted at three different altitudes of valley Kanzalwan (Altitude 2386 meters), Izmarg Altitude (2407 meters) and Tulail (Altitude 3245 meters ) of Gurez valley in which three bean varieties were grown during two consecutive years (2021-22 & 2022-23) to evaluate the best suitable variety for the region. It has been observed that variety V1(Shalimar French bean-1) recorded maximum values with respect to growth , yield and quality attributes of beans as compared with other two varieties namely V2 (Pusa Phalguni) and V3 (Anupama). Pooled data of two years revealed that V1 recorded maximum values for plant height (49.93 cm), no. of branches per plant(11.63), no. of leaves plant-1 (42.20), no. of pods plant-1 (18.04), pod length ( 13.94 cm), pod girth (0.97cm), average pod weight (5.33g), pod yield plant1 (165.81g/pl ), pod yield hac-1 (172.47 qha-1), T.S.S (8.72 Brix°), vitamin C (14.73 mg/100 g), protein content % (1.97), and anthocyanin content µg-1 (15.11) as compared with V2 and V3 varieties.

French bean, Growth, Impact, Quality, Production, varieties, yield

Among three Varieties of vegetable beans which were sown at three location of Gurez valley (lower, middle and upper zone) revealed that the variety V1 (Shalimar French Bean-1) recorded maximum values of growth, yield and quality attributes as compared with other two varieties Pusa Phalguni and Anupama. The variety V1 is therefore more suitable and recommended for cultivation in all the three different locations of Gurez valley. In future more different varieties of Vegetable beans will be evaluated for Gurez valley in order to improve the nutritional security of the region having a limited growing season.

M. Mudasir Magray, Bilal Ah. Bhat, Waseem Ali Dar, Bilal Ah. Pandith and Shahnawaz A. Dar (2023). Performance Evaluation of French Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) varieties for Growth, Yield and Quality Attributes under Cold Temperate Conditions of Gurez Valley. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(12): 206-209.