Screening of mungbean cultivars under rice allelopathic stress for best agronomic and symbiotic traits

In a pot study, effect of 5 and 10% (w/v) aqueous straw extracts of allelopathic rice (Oryza sativa L.) variety ‘Super Basmati’ was investigated on growth, yield, nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization of 8 mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wiczek] cultivars (AUM-19, AUM-27, AUM-38, AUM-7375, N-2, N-5, N-8 and N-9). The 10% extract significantly enhanced the shoot and root dry biomass of cv. AUM-27. Contrarily, 5% extract decreased the shoot biomass in cv. N-8 and 10% extract reduced the root biomass in cv. AUM-7375. The 5% extract increased both number and biomass of nodules in cv. AUM-19, while 10% extract decreased them in cv. N-9. The 5 or 10% extract increased the grain yields in AUM-19, AUM-27, AUM-38 and AUM-7375. Conversely, these extracts decreased the grain yields in cv. N-9. The 10% rice extract markedly enhanced the mycorrhizal colonization in N-5, N-8 and N-9 cultivars. The study concluded that for better grain yield under rice allelopathic stress, AUM cultivars of mungbean should be cultivated.