Irrigation Scheduling and Nitrogen Management Practices Affected the Nutrient Concentration of Moth Bean under Arid Ecosystem

Efficient utilization of water and fertilizers is important for maximizing yield for moth bean production through improvement the nutrient use efficiency under arid ecosystem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizers on growth, yield and nutrient content of moth bean in the western zone of Rajasthan during 2020 & 2021. Treatments included three levels of nitrogen (N1:15 kg N as basal + foliar spray of urea (2%) at flowering stage, N2: 15 kg N + foliar spray of urea (2%) at pod development stage and N3: 15 kg N + foliar spray of urea (2%) at flowering and pod development stages) and levels three levels of irrigation (I1: single irrigation at branching stage, I2: two irrigation at branching + pod development stages and I3: two irrigation at flowering + pod development stages) were laid down in factorial combinations of randomized block design with three replications. The results revealed that 15 kg N + foliar spray of urea (2%) at flowering and pod development stage recorded significantly higher nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in seed and haulm over 15 kg N + foliar spray of urea (2%) at flowering stage and 15 kg N + foliar spray of urea (2%) at pod development stage. However, the phosphorus content in seed and haulm was not significantly influenced by N3 and statistically equivalent with N2 and N1 during 2020 and 2021. Potassium content in seed showed significant enhancement under N3, while K content in haulm was not affected significantly during 2020 and pooled basis. Further, irrigation management practices did not show any significant improvement on N, P, K content in seed and haulm during years of 2020 and 2021. While, N content in seed and haulm was significantly improved under I2 over I3 and I1 on pooled basis. Thus, 15 kg N as basal application + foliar spray of urea (2%) at flowering and pod development stages with two irrigations at branching + pod development stages improved the nutrient content in moth bean in arid condition.

Multivariate Analysis and Screening of Moth Bean Accessions for Biotic Stresses in the Arid Region of Western India

The present investigation assesses the genetic diversity and resilience of moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia) against the biotic stresses in the arid zones of India. This research was carried out at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Regional Research Centre, Bikaner, and employed an augmented design to analyze 300 accessions for morphological and agronomic traits. The study integrated Pearson’s correlation, hierarchical clustering, and principal component analysis to understand trait interrelationships and genetic variance. The number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, plant height and test weight showed a highly significant and positive correlation, whereas days to 50% flowering and number of branches per plant showed a negative correlation with seed yield per plant. Hierarchical clustering subdivided accessions into fourteen clusters, and cluster1 best suited to arid conditions with 21 accessions. Principal component analysis with eigenvalues classified the accessions into eight principal components. PC1 contributed the maximum variation that is 32.21 percent, followed by other clusters. Cercospora leaf spot had the highest disease incidence among the three diseases (yellow mosaic virus, cercospora leaf spot and leaf curl virus diseases). The findings underscore the potential of exploiting genetic variability in moth beans for breeding programs aimed at enhancing yield and stress tolerance, crucial for sustainable production in resource-poor arid ecosystems.

Seed Quality Behaviour Variation of Moth Bean during Storage in Different Packaging

An experiment was carried out in order to assess the behavior of the moth bean seed quality in 4 types of packaging including cloth, gunny, HDPE, and vacuum-packed bags for 18 months. After two months of storage, the moisture content of the seeds fluctuated greatly in cloth, gunny, and HDPE bags (conventional packaging) because these materials are pervious, but the moisture content of the seeds did not vary in vacuum packed bags as the polythene bag used for the vacuum package was thicker, had a lower water vapor and oxygen transmission rate. Further, seeds in conventional packaging’s developed bruchid infestations after 4 months of storage but no infestation was found in vacuum-packed bags until 18 months. The bruchid infestation caused the germination rate of the seeds to drop to less than 20%. In comparison to the initial state, even after 18 months of storage, there was little change in the parameters used for measuring seed quality (germination, total seedling length, seedling dry weight, moisture content, and protein content). Therefore, without the use of chemicals, moth bean seeds can be safely stored using vacuum packaging technology.

Morphological and Biochemical Changes in Moth Bean during Drought Stress

The current investigation on the repercussions of drought stress on the growth parameters of the Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia) has been carried out in a semi-field condition. Two sets of local moth bean cultivars (RMO-40: fifteen in each) were prepared, and one was subjected to terminal drought stress. The rest was maintained with proper watering as a control set. The treated plants were thoroughly evaluated based on leaf length, root length, and relative leaf water content in comparison with the control ones. The findings of this study reveal a significant impact of drought stress on moth bean's growth and physiological performance. Under drought conditions, treated plants exhibited considerable reductions in leaf length and root length compared to their well-watered counterparts. Additionally, the relative leaf water content declined under drought stress, indicating decreased water uptake and retention within the plants under stress. These outcomes underscore the vulnerability of moth bean to drought stress, emphasizing the urgency of developing efficient water management strategies and drought-resistant varieties to safeguard food security in regions where this legume serves as a staple crop. This research highlights the importance of understanding the adverse effects of drought stress on moth bean's growth parameters for sustainable agriculture and food production.

DISEASES OF MOTH BEAN [VIGNA ACONITIFOLIA (JACQ.) MARECHAL]

Pulses are obtained from leguminous plants that have many bioactive components and good nutritional value, being rich in protein, vitamins, and abundant macro- and micronutrients and thus contribute to global food security. Moth bean is compatible with the climatic conditions of Rajasthan because it is a drought-resistant crop though it is affected by many pathogenic microorganisms as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Infection of these microorganisms causes damage to plants which results in loss of productivity. In the current context, a review on fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases of moth bean has been dealt with. The major diseases of moth bean reported are leaf blight, leaf spots, seedling stem and root rot, pod rot, web blight, common bacterial blight, and mung bean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) causing yield loss