Abstract

Pulses play an important role in addressing hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, environmental degradation, climate change impacts and human health, thereby supporting the overall achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Pulses yield is very low under arid and semiarid climate. Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of phosphorus (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P ha^-1) and organic sources [sole animal manure (10 t ha^-1), sole legume residues (10 t ha^-1), and integration of animal manures + legume residue (5 t ha^-1 each)] on the phenological development, growth, yield and yield components of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) in comparison to mash bean (Vigna mungo L.) under rainfed/moisture stress condition at the Agronomy Research Farm of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan. The results revealed that increase in P levels resulted in earlier phenological development, improved growth, increased number of nodules plant^-1, yield and yield components of both crops. Combined application of animal manures and legume (gram or chickpea) residues (5 t ha^-1 each) ranked first in terms of better growth and higher yield and yield components of both crops, followed by sole animal manure (cattle manure), while sole legume residues stood at the bottom in the ranking.

Key words: Mung bean, mash bean, phosphorus levels, organic sources, dry land.