Abstract
Background and aims
Summer pulse crops- mungbean and blackgram are increasingly exposed to waterlogging (WL). This study analyzed the effects of WL at germination and reproductive stages, and to identify the suitable cultivars for different cropping systems.
Methods
The study evaluated WL tolerance of three mungbean cultivars -BARI Mung-6, BARI Mung-8, Binamoog-8; and a blackgram cultivar- BARI Mash-3 at the germination and reproductive stages. The treatment levels at germination were drained control, 3, 5 and 7 d WL, while at reproductive stage were drained control, 3, 6 and 9 d WL.
Results
At germination, % emergence was significantly reduced as WL duration increased. After 7 d WL, BARI Mash-3 displayed 38% emergence, while mungbean cultivars had 14–18% emergence. At reproductive-stage, WL reduced plant height, tap root length, shoot and root dry mass compared to drained control. At recovery compared to WL of 9 d, the chlorophyll content increased by 15% in BARI Mash-3, while it decreased in mungbean cultivars. Shoot relative growth rate (RGR) of BARI Mash-3 was positive, while mungbean cultivars showed negative. Similarly, BARI Mash-3 had the higher root RGR than mungbean cultivars. BARI Mash-3 also produced the higher number of adventitious roots (27) than mungbean cultivars (10–19). The seed yield was reduced at 40% in BARI Mash-3 while 52–60% for mungbean cultivars.
Conclusions
Blackgram cultivar is WL tolerant at both stages compared to mungbean cultivars. These new findings will allow to select suitable crops for different cropping systems based on the perceived risk of WL.