Pheno-Morphological Traits of Mungbean as Influenced by Phosphorous and Tillage under Irrigated and Un-irrigated Conditions

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the major growth limiting factors throughout the world and especially in Pakistan. Field experiment was conducted to study the effect of P levels and tillage depths (cm) on phenology and growth of mungbean (Vigna radiate L. Wilczek, cv. NM-54), under irrigated and un-irrigated conditions. Two separate fields were used for irrigated and un-irrigated conditions at New Developmental Farm of The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan during summer 2012.The experiment in each field was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement having three replications. Three tillage depths (45, 30 and 15 cm) were allotted to main plots, while P levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P ha -1 ) were allotted to sub plots. The results reve aled that P application at the two higher rates (60 and 90 kg P ha -1 ) hastened days to flowering (46 days each) and pod formation (55 &54 days, respectively), increased plant height (73 & 68 cm, respectively), number of leaves plant -1 (19 each) and straw yield (1859& 1992 kg ha -1 , respectively). Plots tilled 45 cm deep delayed flowering (48 days) and pod formation (57 days).However, tillage depths had no significant effect on other growth parameters and straw yield. Irrigated plots took more days to flowering (48 days) and pod formation (57 days), produced taller plants (69 cm), more number of leaves plant -1 (18) and straw yield (1889 kg ha -1 ) when compared with un-irrigated plots. In the light of these results, we concluded that P application at the rate 60 kg P ha -1 was considered the most suitable P rate for improving mungbean productivity under irrigated and un-irrigated condition. Deep tillage (45 cm) was considered more beneficial in terms of higher mungbean productivity under un-irrigated condition, while shallow tillage (15 cm) was better under irrigated condition in the study area.