Effect of salicylic acid on growth indices of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) under water deficit stress

To study the effect of salicylic acid on growth indices of mung bean, Vigna radiata L. (Var. NM92) under water deficit stress condition, a split-plot experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in Research Station of Urmia University in 2012. The main factor was water deficit stress with three levels of irrigation at soil moisture of 75% Fc (control), 60% Fc and 50% Fc field capacity in the root zone), and foliar application of salicylic acid was considered as sub factor with four levels (0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mM). Results showed that application of 0.5 Mm salicylic acid caused the highest values for all the growth indices studied. Salicylic acid 0.5 Mm resulted in the highest total dry matter (TDM), leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR) and net absorbsion rate (NAR) in almost all growth stages in comparison to the other treatments and therefore, it can be concluded that foliar application of salicylic acid 0.5 mM can ameliorate the adverse effects of water deficit on growth indices of mung bean.