Effects of foliar application of methanol on growth and yield of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) in Rasht, Iran

Abstract

In order to study the effect of the time and concentration of methanol spraying on the growth and yield of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.), a factorial experiment in the form of randomized complete blocks was done with three replications in the research farm of the College of Agriculture of the Islamic Azad University, Rasht branch in the north of Iran in 2009. The concentration factor of spraying methanol was applied at four levels, that is control (without spraying (0)), 10, 20 and 30 volumetric percentages of methanol; while the time of spraying methanol was another factor used at three levels: in the morning (8:00 to 10:00 a.m.), at noon (13:00 to 15:00 p.m.) and in the evening (17:00 to 19:00 p.m.). Results showed that there was a significant difference between different methanol concentrations regarding number of seeds per pod, harvest index (p < 0.01) and seed yield per m2 (p < 0.05). The largest numbers of seeds per pod and harvest index were in 30% methanol, while the highest seed yield was that of the 20% methanol with an average of 13.11 seeds, 38.22% and 55.97 g/m2, respectively. Moreover, spraying times had also had a significant difference in terms of the seed yield per m2 and the harvest index at the level of 5%; the highest average values of seed yield and harvest index corresponding to spraying in the afternoon were 55.52 g/m2 and 36.69%, respectively. The interaction of these two factors with none of the studied traits was not significant. Key word: Mungbean, methanol spraying, concentration and time, pod yield, seed yield.