Phosphorus requirements and nitrogen accumulation by three mungbean (Vigna radiata (L) Welzek) cultivars

A promising approach for overcoming poor crop yields in phosphorus (P)-deficient soils is to exploit the genetic variation among plants to grow under low P conditions. We examined the P requirements of three mungbean cultivars, T-77, MI-5 and E-72, using four P rates, 0, 30, 60 and 90 mg P kg⁻¹ soil (designated P₀, P₁, P₂ and P₃, respectively). Nodulation was highest in T-77, and unlike the other cultivars, nodule numbers were not increased by P application. Similarly, growth of T-77 was the highest, and was not influenced by P rates. In contrast shoot yields of MI-5 and E-72 at P₀ were only 76 and 65%, respectively, of the maximum obtained under P application. Nodule dry weight and the amount of N fixed (Ndfa) in each cultivar was enhanced by P application, with T-77 generally giving the lowest response, and accumulating the highest Ndfa. The data suggest a higher P requirement for N₂ fixation (especially for T-77) than for growth. All plants increased their P uptake as P rates increased, with T-77 accumulating the highest amount of P at each P level. Differences in the physiological P use efficiency, PPUE (g shoot mg⁻¹ P) among genotypes were generally not significant, neither were there any consistent trends as P rates changed. The ability to absorb P therefore appeared to be more important than PPUE in enhancing growth. We conclude from our data that it is possible by selection to obtain plants capable of good growth and high N₂ fixation in soils of low P; cultivar T-77 is a good example.