ZINC BIOFORTIFICATION OF MUNGBEAN ( VIGNA RADIATA L.) CULTIVARS THROUGH ZINC CHEMO-PRIMING

Among micronutrients, zinc (Zn) is one of the most vital elements required for the growth and development of human and plants. The deficiency of Zn in Bangladesh's soil is causing a huge population of the country malnourished especially due to low Zn content of pulses like mungbean. A two year's research was conducted during pre -monsoon season of 2022 and 2023 in the Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to evaluate the seed priming for Zn biofortification of recently released eight varieties of mungbean (BARI Mug -5, BARI Mug -6, BARI Mug -7 and BARI Mug -8 were grown during 2022 year, the other four varieties named BARI Mug -2, BARI Mug -3, BARI Mug -4 and BINA Mug -8 were grown during the growth season of 2023). Mungbean seeds were soaked for 6 hours before sowing in water (hydropriming), or aerated Zn solution (as osmopriming) of 0.01M or 0.05M with 1:5 seed to liquid ratio. The results showed that seed priming with 0.01M Zn remained unmatched by improving the yield attributes including plant height and number of primary branches per plant and grain yield of mungbean. In addition, seed priming with water and 0.01M Zn solution increased the grain yield by 7 and 15% and grain Zn concentrations by 9 and 14%, respectively compared to control. Overall, BARI Mug -3, BARI Mug -5 and BARI Mug -6 surpassed rest of varieties in terms of grains Zn content. Although Zn enrichment in mungbean grain was observed from the crops grown with primed seed through 0.05M Zn solution, but the performance of plant growth, yield traits and grain yield were noticed significantly poor. Based on recorded findings, it may be recommended that mungbean seeds might be primed with low concentrated zinc solution like 0.01M to attain better stand development and yield attributes, grain yield and grain Zn content.