Agro-economic optimization of fertilizer level and rhizobium strains for enhanced grain yield in mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

To explore the effect of pgpr for improvement in grain yield of mungbean,different levels of fertilizer (00:00,20:50 and 20:70 kg n:p2o5 kg ha-1) were tested on four strains (cb 1015 australia,vm-l1,vm-m1 and vm-m2) at agricultural research institute,dera ismail khan. a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement was used to conduct the experiment by keeping three fertilizer levels in the main plot and rhizobium strains in sub-plot. the data were recorded for different parameters like number of branches plant-1,number of clusters plant-1,number of pods plant-1.,number of grain pod-1,pod length (cm) and grain yield kg ha-1. the response of fertilizer levels and inoculation with rhizobium strains were found significant in most of the parameters under study. the strain vm-m1 produced the highest number of branches plant-1 (5.42),number of clusters plant-1 (22.92),number of pods plant-1 (77.64),pod length (8.37 cm) when applied in combination of n:p2o5 @ 20:70 and 20:50 kg ha-1. although the grain yield (1421 kg ha-1) recorded in treatment (20:70 kg n:p2o5 ha-1 + inoculation with strain vm m1) was highest but economically the treatment (20:50 kg n:p2o5 ha-1+inoculation with strain vm m1) with net return of rs. 13618 ha-1and bcr of 2.52 was on top. © 2016,pakistan botanical society. all rights reserved.