ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted in the rainy season of May to September 2007 in Umudike to determine the growth and yield response of mungbean to various combinations of agronomic practices. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four treatments replicated four times, the treatment included: growing mungbean by broadcasting + weeding; row planting + weeding; row planting + weeding + fertilizer application; row planting + weeding + fertilizer application + pesticide application. The result indicated that growth parameters and yield parameters were influenced by Row planting + Fertilizer Application + Pesticides application + Weeding. This treatment significantly enhanced mungbean height and leaf numbers. The treatment gave a maximum yield of l.99t!ha followed by Row Planting + Fertilizer Application + Weeding which produced l.60tllia and then subsequently followed by Row Planting + Weeding which yielded 1.51 t/ha. The treatment that consisted Broadcasting + Weeding only had poor effect on the performance of rnungbean with a yield of 1 .37t/ha. It is slightly that row planting provided ample space for each stand of mungbean leading to less competition. The greater the number of agronomic practices on input levels provided mungbean plants with greater advantage in the response of growth resources to enhance productivity. It is concluded that every input level brings improvement in growth and yield of mungbean crop. Conclusively, row planting and pesticide application integrated with fertilizer application helped in reducing pest and diseases. Hence, reduced entrance by plant pathogen and increased yield.