Legume Research
Web of Science
  • Year: 2026
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue: 8

Impact of Fertilizer Combinations and Nano-phosphorus on the Growth, Yield, Nutrient Uptake and Soil Enzyme Activity in Dual Mungbean Varieties

  • Author:
  • Balveer Singh1, Rohit Kumar2,*, Shafiqul Islam3, Liton Mia3, Atin Kumar4, Sharad Sachan5, M.Z. Siddqui1, Mohammad Hashim6, U.N. Shukla1, Jitendra Singh7, Nilotpal Das4
  • Total Page Count: 7
  • Page Number: 1412 to 1418

1Department of Agronomy, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur-208 002, Uttar Pradesh, India

2Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, GLA University, Mathura-281 406, Uttar Pradesh, India

3Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

4School of Agriculture, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun-248 007, Uttarakhand, India

5Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara-144411, Punjab, India

6Department of Agronomy, Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur-208 024, Uttar Pradesh, India

7Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Dumraon, BAU, Sabour-802 119, Bihar, India

*Corresponding Author: Rohit Kumar, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, GLA University, Mathura-281 406, Uttar Pradesh, India, Email: kumar.rohit@gla.ac.in

Abstract

Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) productivity in the Indo-Gangetic plains is constrained by low nutrient use efficiency and declining soil biological activity. Conventional fertilizer practices often fail to supply phosphorus efficiently, while soil microbial functions essential for nutrient cycling continue to deteriorate. Nano-phosphorus (Nano-P), when combined with organic and microbial inputs, has the potential to improve phosphorus availability, enhance soil biological processes and increase crop productivity in a sustainable manner.

A field experiment was conducted at CSA University, Kanpur using a factorial randomized block design with two mungbean varieties (Pusa-1431 and Virat) and six nutrient management treatments, replicated three times. Treatments consisted of different combinations of NPK fertilizers, farmyard manure (5 t ha-1), microbial consortia and Nano-P foliar spray applied at 25 days after sowing. Growth traits, yield, nitrogen content and uptake, partial factor productivity (PFP), protein content and soil biological parameters (AMF colonization, nitrogen-fixing bacteria and microbial diversity) were measured. Data were analyzed using ANOVA at p≤0.05.

Integrated nutrient management significantly improved mungbean performance compared with conventional fertilizer use. The treatment 75% NPK + FYM + microbial consortia + Nano-P produced the highest grain yield (12.4 q ha-1), nitrogen uptake, PFP and soil microbial activity (p≤0.05). Nano-P application enhanced phosphorus availability, AMF colonization and microbial diversity, leading to improved nutrient cycling. In terms of increasing nitrogen uptake, use efficiency, grain quality and soil biological activity across mungbean types, integrated fertilizer combinations (reduced NPK with FYM, nano-P and microbial consortia) consistently performed better than 100% NPK alone. Among the varieties, Pusa-1431 showed a stronger positive response to integrated nutrient management than Virat. These findings highlight the practical value of balanced nutrient integration for sustainable mungbean production and recommend adoption of such combined approaches to improve crop productivity and soil health.

Keywords

AMF colonization, Integrated nutrient management, Microbial consortia, Mungbean, Nano-phosphorus, Nitrogen uptake, Partial factor productivity, Phosphorus use efficiency, Soil bological activity