Agronomic management of mungbean grown under different environments

Field experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 on the agronomic management of extra-short duration mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) at the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana (India) and Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) in Taiwan. In Punjab, the best time for sowing summer mungbean was from March 20 to April 10. The April 20 sowing was at par with sowings in March 30 and April 10 but was inferior to March 20 sowing. Grain yield data indicated that new variety SML 668, which takes about 60 days to mature, can be successfully grown up to April 20 after the harvest of wheat. Mungbean sown after wheat without tillage gave grain yield equivalent to tillage treatment. Also at AVRDC, mungbean sown after rice without tillage gave grain yield that is almost similar to tilled plots. Interestingly, SML 668 can also be grown in rainy (Kharij) season. In 2002, July 8 and 16 sowings were significantly superior to July 24 and August 10 sowings, while in 2003, July 10 and 25 sowings gave significantly higher yield than August 10 sowing. In Ludhiana, 400,000 plants ha(-1) sown at 25 cm x 10 cm spacing gave higher grain yield than 333,000 and 500,000 plants ha(-1) during summer season. Varieties Pusa Vishal, SML 668, and Pusa 9531 were at par in yield. The optimum seed rate for higher productivity was 37.5 kg ha(-1) for summer crop and 30 kg ha(-1) for rainy season crop sown at 30 cm x 10 cm spacing. At AVRDC, 200,000 plants ha(-1) sown at 50 cm x 10 cm on raised beds gave significantly higher yield than 300,000, 400,000 and 500,000 plants ha(-1). At Ludhiana and AVRDC, seed priming did not show beneficial effect on the grain yield. For better germination, 4-6 cm seeding depth was adequate while 2 and 8 cm depths reduced the plant stand and yield on loamy sand soil of Ludhiana. A dose of 12.5 kg N and 40 kg P2O5 ha(-1) drilled at sowing in summer mungbean sown after wheat increased the grain yield significantly over control (no fertilizer). At Ludhiana on loamy sand soil, four irrigations (25, 32, 41 and 49 days after sowing [DAS]) produced the highest grain yield in summer season. Though the termination of last irrigation at 47 DAS showed synchronous crop maturity, continuous supply. of irrigation up to 75 days gave 41.6% more yield than the crop with terminated irrigation at 47 DAS. During rainy season, missing irrigation at the pod formation stage in the absence of rainfall showed drastic reduction in yield compared with the irrigated crop. The application of pendimethalin (Stomp 30 EC) at 0.75 kg a.i. ha(-1) as pre-emergence or fluchloralin (Basalin 48 EC) at 0.625 kg a.i. ha(-1) as presowing gave effective control of weeds. Grain yield was equivalent to 2 hoeings (25 and 40 DAS). Experimental data revealed that with proper use of inputs like weed control, fertilizer application, and insect pest control, the grain yield of mungbean can be enhanced three times over the non-use of these inputs.