Effects of different levels of phosphorus and bradyrhizobium inocula on the productivity and protein content of mungbean (vigna radiata l. wilczek)

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is one of the major limiting nutrients to mung bean production. However, the use of imbalance P nutrient and lack of inocula decreased the mungbean yield in Bangladesh. Therefore, this study has been untaken to study the effect of different phosphorus levels and Bradyrhizobium inocula on the yield and protein content of mungbean. Treatment comprised of four levels of phosphorus - P0, P30, P60, P90 (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P2O5 ha-1 respectively) and strains of Bradyrhizobium inocula - I0, I1, I2 and I3 (not inoculated, inoculation with BINA-MB-THA 301, BINA-MB 441 and BINA-MB 301). The highest seed yield (1066.3 kg ha-1) was obtained from P60 followed by P90 (957.7 kg ha-1) and P30 (870.5 kg ha-1) while the lowest seed yield (578.9 kg ha-1) was obtained from the control. Protein content was highest (24.5 %) in P90, followed by P60 (24.4%) and P30 (24.4 %), and the lowest (24.1 %) was obtained from control. Inoculation of seed increased the yield and yield components, and harvest index. Better performance of the yield components and protein content of seed was found with the inoculants I1. The I1 strain produce the highest seed yield (982.5 kg ha-1) while the lowest yield (670.5 kg ha-1) was obtained from uninoculated control plot. The highest protein content of mungbean seed (25.3 %) was estimated when I1 strain of Bradyrhizobium was used for seed inoculation. Among the treatment combinations, P60I1 provided better growth and yield performance and increased protein content of mungbean.