Effect of ethylene on growth, nodulation, early flower induction and yield in mungbean

Late flowers induction, less number of flowers and pods per plant, improper use of fertilizer and not exogenous application of plant hormones are the major limiting factors of low average yield of mungbean at farmer field than potential yield. Mungbean yield is enhanced by application of plant growth regulator ethylene along with fertilizers. Ethylene is unsaturated hydrocarbon phyto-hormone which regulates and co-ordinate many metabolic and developmental processes within plant body. Ethylene regulates growth, yield, root development, nodulation, seed germination, flowering initiation, fruit set up, fruit ripening and seed dormancy. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of ethylene on growth, yield, nodulation and early flower induction in mungbean. The experiment was comprised of five treatments (control, 6.25 ppm, 12.5 ppm, 18.75 ppm and 25 ppm) and three replications. L-Methionine (LMET) was used as the source of ethylene and was applied foliarly, with hand sprayer. The N, P, and K fertilizers were applied in the form of Urea, DAP and SOP, respectively. Data was collected by standard procedures and subjected to statistical analysis. Results showed that ethylene promoted early flowers induction, number of flowers, pods per plant, 1000 grains weight, shoot fresh and dry weight, photosynthesis and N in grains and shoot as compared with control. While, plant height, nodulation, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and N concentration in root decreased as concentration level of ethylene increased. Application LMethionine (L-MET) with NPK fertilizer improved the yield contributing factors that resulted in significant increase in mungbean yield.