Potassium augments growth, yield, nutrient content, and drought tolerance in mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek.)

Abstract

Uneven rainfall and high temperature cause drought in tropical and subtropical regions which is a major challenge to cultivating summer mung bean. Potassium (K), a major essential nutrient of plants can alleviate water stress (WS) tolerance in plants. A field trial was executed under a rainout shelter with additional K fertilization including recommended K fertilizer (RKF) for relieving the harmful impact of drought in response to water use efficiency (WUE), growth, yield attributes, nutrient content, and yield of mung bean at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Ishwardi, Pabna in two successive summer season of 2018 and 2019. Drought-tolerant genotype BMX-08010-2 (G1) and drought-susceptible cultivar BARI Mung-1 (G2) were grown by applying seven K fertilizer levels (KL) using a split-plot design with three replications, where mung bean genotypes were allotted in the main plots, and KL were assigned randomly in the sub-plots. A considerable variation was observed in the measured variables. Depending on the different applied KL and seed yield of mung bean, the water use efficiency (WUE) varied from 4.73 to 8.14 kg ha^-1 mm^-1. The treatment applying 125% more K with RKF (KL₇) under WS gave the maximum WUE (8.14 kg ha^-1 mm^-1) obtaining a seed yield of 1093.60 kg ha^-1. The treatment receiving only RKF under WS (KL₂) provided the minimum WUE (4.73 kg ha^-1 mm^-1) attaining a seed yield of 825.17 kg ha^-1. Results showed that various characteristics including nutrients (N, P, K, and S) content in stover and seed, total dry matter (TDM) in different growth stages, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), root volume (RV), root density (RD), plant height, pod plant^-1, pod length, seeds pod^-1, seed weight, and seed yield in all pickings increased with increasing K levels, particularly noted with KL₇. The highest grain yield (32.52%) was also obtained from KL₇ compared to lower K with RKF. Overall, yield varied from 1410.37 kg ha^-1 using 281 mm water (KL₁; well-watered condition with RKF) to 825.17 kg ha^-1 using 175 mm water (KL₂). The results exhibited that the application of additional K improves the performance of all traits under WS conditions. Therefore, mung beans cultivating under WS requires additional K to diminish the negative effect of drought, and adequate use of K contributes to accomplishing sustainable productivity.