Influence of Potassium Addition on Productivity, Quality and Nutrient Uptake of Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

Abstract

Potassium is the key element for mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) productivity. The study was carried out to understand the effects of potassium (K) on mungbean productivity, quality, nutrient content and nutrient uptake and how this element can help to manage soil fertility.Therefore, an experiment was conducted during two consecutive years 2016 and 2017. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design considering six treatments with thrice replicates. The treatments were T₁ = Control, T₂ = 30 kg K ha^-1, T₃= 40 kg K ha^-1, T₄= 50 kg K ha^-1, T₅= 60 kg K ha^-1 and T₆= 70 kg K ha^-1 along with the blanket dose of N₁₅P₂₀S₁₀Zn₂B_1.5 kg ha^-1. Results revealed that application of different levels of potassium showed significant effects on the plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and thousand seed weight which were influenced to obtain higher yield of mungbean. The highest average seed yield (1476 kg ha^-1) and highest yield increment (39.5%) of mungbean were produced from the treatment T₅. Most of the cases the highest nutrient (N, P, K, S, Zn and B) content was obtained in T₅ treatment.The highest K uptake by mungbean, maximum nodulation, the highest protein content in seed and maximum apparent K recovery efficiency (54.8%) were, however, recorded from the treatment receiving of 60kg K ha^-1. It was concluded that proper use of K with other nutrients facilitated to improve the productivity and quality of mungbean and also K played a significant role in maintaining soil fertility.