Growth and yield response of mungbean [ Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek)] to blended NPSB fertilizer rates

Abstract

In Ethiopia, mungbean [ Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek)] is an emerging crop with low productivity. Although blended fertilizer containing nitrogen phosphorus sulfur boron (NPSB) fertilizer is effective for many crops, evidence on its effect on mungbean in West Belesa, Northern Ethiopia, is limited. Consequently, a field experiment was conducted during the 2021 and 2022 cropping seasons to evaluate the effect of different NPSB fertilizer rates on mungbean growth, yield, and yield components in the district. Five fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha ^{− 1} ) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on phenology, plant height, primary branches, pods plant ⁻¹ , total biomass and seed yield, hundred‐seed weight, and harvest index were collected and analyzed using a mixed‐model analysis of variance in R software version 4.2. Pearson's correlations were calculated to examine the relationships between the variables. The results showed that blended NPSB fertilizer rates significantly influenced mungbean growth, yield, and yield attributes. The highest seed yield (1473.75 kg ha ^{− 1} ) was obtained at 150 kg ha ^{− 1} , followed by 200 kg ha ^{− 1} (1389.97 kg ha ^{− 1} ), while the lowest yield (892.77 kg ha ^{− 1} ) was recorded from the unfertilized plots. A higher seed yield was recorded in 2021 (1461.0 kg ha ^{− 1} ) than in 2022 (977.75 kg ha ^{− 1} ). A partial budget analysis showed that 150 kg ha ^{− 1} of NPSB fertilizer provided the highest net return with a marginal rate of return (240%) exceeding the minimum acceptable level (100%). Therefore, applying 150 kg ha ^{− 1} of blended NPSB fertilizer is recommended for sustainable and profitable mungbean production under the soil and climatic conditions of West Belesa district and similar arid areas.