Growth, symbiotic traits, productivity and nutrient uptake as influenced by dose and time of nitrogen application and Rhizobium inoculation in mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the response of mungbean to dose and time of nitrogen (N) application and Rhizobium inoculation. Application of 12.5 kg N ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium inoculation recorded the plant height, plant dry weight, root length, root dry weight, number of pods plant⁻¹, 100-seed weight, biological yield and grain yield either significantly higher or statistically on par with N application at 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 50 + 50 kg ha⁻¹ and Rhizobium inoculation alone. Nodulation, in general, decreased with increase in N dose, and was found to be significantly higher with application of 12.5 kg N ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium inoculation than under different doses of N application. Although application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ produced the highest number of pods plant⁻¹ and 100-seed weight, resulting in the highest grain yield but it was on par with 50 kg N ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium inoculation and other nitrogen levels. Application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ recorded the highest N content in grain and its uptake by grains whereas the highest N content in straw and its uptake by straw as well as by the crop was recorded in treatment receiving 100 kg N ha⁻¹. It can be concluded that application of N beyond 12.5 kg ha⁻¹ is not beneficial in mungbean in terms of grain yield and environment point of view and integrated use of 12.5 kg N ha⁻¹ along with Rhizobium inoculation is the most efficient in terms of high nodulation and grain yield.

Keywords:

• grain yield
• mungbean
• nitrogen levels: nitrogen uptake
• nodulation
• Rhizobium

Conflict of interest

No conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

We are highly thankful to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana for providing financial support to conduct this study.