Effect of plant density and planting pattern on growth and yield characteristics of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) under Baghmalek weather condition

Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) as one of the most important beans, has 20-25% protein and is a protein supplier that is needed by humans and plays an important role in this regard. Increasing yield per unit area is one of the most important factors for increasing production. Planting pattern and plant density per unit area are two important factors affecting the growth and yield of plants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of these parameters on growth and yield characteristics of mung bean under Baghmalek weather conditions

In order to evaluate the effect of plant density and planting pattern on growth and yield characteristics of mung bean under Baghmalek weather conditions, an experiment was carried out as factorial in a randomized complete block design. The studied factors includ, planting density in three levels of 20, 28 and 36 seeds per square meter, and the second factor include, hand scattering of seeds (control), between row distances of 15 cm and 30 cm. In hand scattering of seeds (control) (traditional) and row planting, the seeds were cultivated manually and uniformly in different amounts according to the plant densities. Field preparation included plowing, disks and leveling. After preparation of the field, nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers were mixed with the disk machine at a depth of 15 cm. Nitrogen from the source of urea (46%) was 80 kg nitrogen per hectare, 50% before planting, 25% in stem elongation and 25% in flowering stage and phosphorus fertilizer from the source of triple superphosphate at a rate of 100 kg/ha P (48%) was used. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.2 and comparing of the means was based on Duncan method at 5% probability level.

The results showed that planting pattern with 30 cm spacing compared to hand scattering of seeds improved yield, number of seeds per plant, seeds per pod, pods per plant, 1000-grain weight and plant height. The maximum plant height as 81 cm was obtained from a row planting pattern with a spacing of 30 cm and 28 plants per square meter and the minimum height with an average of 65 cm from density 36 plants per square meter. The maximum grain yield with 2317 kg/ha was obtained from row pattern with 30 cm distance and density of 36 seed per square meter. The minimum grain yield with 1027 kg/ha belonged to hand scattering of seeds and density of 20 seed per square meter.Increasing of 1000-grain weight and number of plants per unit area was the main cause for increasing of grain yield. In other words, the reason for increasing yields in more densities can be attributed to the greater number of plants per unit area and 1000-grain weight. The highest biological yield as 5784 kg/ha was observed from the row planting pattern with a row spacing of 30 cm and a density of 36 plants per square meter, and the lowest biological yield was 3174 kg/ha and a density of 20 plants per square meter. The increase in biological yield at 36 plants per square meter was higher than the density of 20 and 28 plants per square meter due to increase in plant number and also increase in dry matter production per unit area. The maximum percentage of harvest index with an average of 40% was belonged to the interaction of row planting pattern with a distance of 30 cm and density of 28 and 36 plants per square meter.

In general, the results of the experiment showed that in all three planting patterns, the lowest height, number of pods per plant, seeds per pod and seeds per plant were obtained at 36 plants per square meter. The maximum grain yield was obtained at 36 plant density per square meter and the row planting pattern with a distance of 30 cm by 2317.5 kg/ha and the lowest was obtained by 1027.5 kg/ha at a density of 20 plants per square meter and hand scattering of seeds (control). Therefore, this combination of planting pattern and plant density in region can be suggested for optimal use of environmental conditions and maximum grain yield.