The Role of Organic and Biological Fertilizers on the Growth, Yield of Mung Bean Plant and Water Use Efficiency in Water Deficit Conditions in Northern Iran.

Knowledge of the yield of short-season crops under insufficient irrigation is of particular importance for regions that face water deficit during the plant growth period. This experiment was carried out by investigating the effects of organic and biological fertilizers on the growth, yield and water use efficiency of mung bean plants under water deficit conditions and the traits affecting grain yield. Experiment treatments including irrigation at three levels (100, 80 and 60% of water requirement (WR)), organic fertilizer (0 and 16 and 24 t/ha manure) and biofertilizer (control, Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and enterobacter (EB)). In stress and non-stressed conditions, the application of AM and organic fertilizer has increased the number of seeds and the number of plant pods. The highest weight of one hundred seeds was obtained in the condition of 80% WR and application of organic and biological fertilizer. The number of primary branches was higher with the use of EB, but the highest number of secondary branches was observed in the plant with AM. The highest plant height, biological yield and seed were observed in the condition of 100% WR and 24 t/ha of organic fertilizer and application of AM and EB. The highest water use efficiency was obtained with irrigation of 80% WR and application of AM and 24 t/ha of organic fertilizer, as well as irrigation of 60% WR and application of AM and 24 t/ha of organic fertilizer. The use of organic fertilizer along with biofertilizers in stress conditions has increased the measured traits, and this increase was more in severe stress with AM than EB fertilizer. The results of the path analysis showed that the weight of one hundred seeds, the number of seeds in the pod and biological yield are the most direct effects on seed yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]