Influence of potassium management and stress mitigating chemicals on yield, nutrient uptake and quality of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]

Abstract

In the kharif season of 2022, a field experiment was carried out at S.K.N. College of Agriculture, Jobner, Rajasthan, using a factorial randomized block design to examine the impact of varying potassium levels and stress mitigating chemicals on yield attributes and nutrient uptake by mungbean cultivated in loamy sand soil. The study involved sixteen treatment combinations, each replicated three times, with four potassium levels (control, 20, 30 and 40 kg K2O/ha) and four stress mitigating chemicals (control, KNO3 @ 100 ppm, Thioglycolic acid @ 100 ppm and Kinetin @ 50 ppm). The application of 40 kg K2O/ha significantly increased number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, test weight and concentration of nitrogen in both seed and straw showing significant superiority to control and other preceding levels of potassium. The application of 40 kg K2O/ha remaining at par with 30 kg K2O/ha led to higher phosphorus and potassium concentration in seed and straw over control. Among stress mitigating chemicals tested, foliar application of TGA @ 100 ppm, applied at 30 and 45 days after sowing, reported significantly greater yield attributes and concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in both seed and straw compared to control and KNO3,though it showed similar results to Kinetin @ 50 ppm. All stress mitigating chemicals did not have an impact on the potassium content in seed and straw but increased the total potassium uptake compared to the control while remaining comparable to one another.