Effects of Intra and Inter-Row Spacing on Yield and Yield Components of Mung Bean (Vigna radiate L.)

Abstract

Maintaining optimum planting space spacing is the most important agronomic practice for determining effective population density to increase growth and yield of Mungbean crop. A field trial was conducted to establish the proper intra and inter-row spacing of Mungbean (Vigna radiate L.) at Gozamin District, North-western Ethiopia in 2015 main cropping season. Rasa mung bean variety (N-26) was used as a test crop.  Factorial combinations of three intra row spacing (5, 10 and 15 cm) and four inter row spacing (25, 30, 35 and 40 cm) were laid out in  a randomized complete block design with three replications. The analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences (p < 0.01) among all agronomic traits in response to the different intra and inters row spacing’s. Based on the result of this study, application of 5cm intra-row spacing exhibited maximum values on Mungbean growth, yield and yield related traits over the rest two levels. Similarly among four inter-row spacing’s the use of 25cm is superior in most of Mungbean agronomic traits such as days to emergence, days to physiological maturity, plant height, pod number per plant, number of kernels per pod, thousand kernel weight, grain yield, biomass yield, straw yield and harvest index than 30, 35 and 40cm.The maximum numbers of pods were recorded in treatment with 5cm intra-row and 15cm inter-row spacing. The tallest plants were observed in the plots with similar spacing, while the smallest plants were recorded in the treatment with 15cm intra-row and 40cm inter-row spacing. Maximum grain yield and harvest index were also recorded in plots with 5cm intra-row and 25cm inter-row spacing. Consequently 5cm intra-row and 25cm inter-row spacing’s were concluded as optimum for Mungbean production in the study area.

Keywords: Mungbean, Vigna radiate L., plant spacing, Grain yield, seed per pod.