Effect of Zinc and Thiourea Levels on Growth, Yield and Quality of Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif season 2024 at the Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur to evaluate their effects on growth, yield and economics of mungbean. The results revealed that growth parameters such as plant height, dry matter accumulation, number of branches and nodulation were significantly improved by both zinc and thiourea. Zinc @ 6 kg ha-1 (Z3) recorded maximum plant height, dry matter accumulation, and branches per plant, while zinc @ 4 kg ha-1 (Z2) proved most effective for effective nodules. Yield attributes including number of pods per plant, seeds per pod, seed yield and straw yield were significantly enhanced by zinc and thiourea. Economic analysis indicated that zinc @ 6 kg ha-1 and thiourea @ 500 ppm at branching and flowering initiation produced the highest gross return, net return, and benefit–cost ratio. Overall, the study concludes that application of zinc @ 6 kg ha⁻¹ along with foliar spray of thiourea @ 500 ppm at branching and flowering initiation is an effective and economically viable strategy for enhancing growth, productivity and profitability of mungbean under Kharif conditions.