Effect of seed rate on growth, yield components and yield of mungbean grown under irrigated conditions in the north of Khuzestan.

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of six different seed rates viz., 15,17.5, 20, 22.5, 25 and 27.5 kg ha-1 on the growth, yield and yield attributes of mungbean Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper). This study was conducted for two consecutive years at the Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) under the existing semi-arid climatic, edaphic and water conditions of Quetta, Khuzestan. Results revealed that plant population, pods plant-1, grain yield plant-1 and grain yield ha-1 were significantly (p<0.05 influenced by varying seed rates. However, other mentioned growth and yield attributes did not respond significantly. Statistically and numerically a maximum yield plant-1 (20.98 g) and yield ha-1 (3120 kg) were obtained in applied seed @ 20 kg ha-1. Whereas, the same was obtained for plant population and plant height in applied seed rate of 25 kg ha-1. However, maximum number of branches plant-1 (4.22) was received for applied seeds @ 15 kg ha-1. Therefore, seed @ 20 kg ha-1 seems optimum which could be due to the most desirable population or planting density in the existing environmental conditions of Quetta. Results further revealed that only plant population plot-1 (r=0.481), and yield plant-1 (r=0.569) were significantly and positively correlated with grain yield ha-1, while all other remaining growth and yield attributes exhibited insignificant association with grain yield ha-1. Hence these two parameters i.e., planting density and grain yield plant-1 should be given more consideration while deciding about selection criteria for mungbean under irrigatedconditions of Khuzestan.