Effects of Plant Density on Yield and Yield Components of Mungbean in Khoozestan Growing Conditions

Plant density affects yield components and seed yield by influencing the changing vegetative growth and environmental resources. These effecting factors were studied in the spring of 2006 at Ramin Agricultural Research and Natural Resources University, Mollasani in Northeast of Ahwaz, using a randomized complete block design of a factorial layout with 4 replications. Main factors were planting density of 4 levels (10, 15, 20 and 25 cm) and 3 cultivar levels (Gohar, VC1973A and NM92). The highest seed yield was obtained in plant density of 13.3 plants/m2, 15 cm planting distance (3471 kg/ha), for NM92 cultivar, and the lowest yield obtained at a density of 20 plants/m2, 10 cm planting distance (2110 kg/ha), for Gohar cultivar. Among yield components, pod number per unit area made the most contribution to seed yield. Any change of increase or decrease in plant density as compared to optimum, limited seed yield of the crop mungbean. Increase in plant density enhanced intercompetition while decrease in plant density reduced yield potential. Therefore, NM92 cultivar with a plant density of 13.3 plants/m2 might be suggested as appropriate for growing mungbean under conditions similar to those in this experiment.