EFFECT OF INTER ROW SPACING AND NP FERTILIZER APPLICATION RATES ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENT OF MUNGBEAN (Vigna radiata L) AT MIRAB ABAYA WOREDA, GAMO GOFA ZONE

Abstract

Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Masho (Amharic) is one of the most important and short duration pulse crop, grown from the tropical to sub-tropical areas around the world. Despite its importance, mungbean production and yield was low due to insufficient recommended agronomic practices on inter row spacing and NP fertilizer rate. Present research was conducted to determine inter row spacing and NP fertilizer rates for yield and yield component of mungbean at Mirab Abaya Woreda, Gamo Gofa Zone. The experiment consisted of three inter row spacing (15 × 10, 25× 10 and 35× 10 cm) and five levels of NP combination (control, 20.5 kg N: 23 kg P, 41 kg N: 46 kg P, 61.5 kg N: 69 kg P and 82 kg N: 92 kg P per ha). The treatments were laid out in factorial experiment in completely randomized block design with three replications. Significantly maximum grain yield (2346.67 kg per ha), number of grains per pod (10.7), biological yield (8094 kg per ha), straw yield (5747.4 kg per ha) was attained at inter row spacing of 25 × 10 cm. In response to NP nutrient rate, significantly maximum grain yield (2511.1 kg per ha), number of grains per pod (12), 100 seed weight (4.34 g), biological yield (8897.8 kg per ha) and straw yield (6387 kg per ha) was recorded at 61.5:69 NP kg per ha. Moreover, the interaction effect of intra row spacing and NP nutrient rates significantly (p < 0.05) affect number of flower per plant and number of pods per plant. Pod number the prime yield attribute had highly significant and positive correlation with flower number (r = 0.95), biological yield had highly significant and positive correlation with grain yield (r = 0.8). According to the partial budget analysis, the highest net benefit (birr 53745.75) was obtained at NP level of 61.5:69 kg per ha. Therefore, farmers in study area are advised to use 61.5:69 kg NP per ha with inter row spacing of 25 × 10 cm for increasing mung bean grain yield.