Muzakky W, 2025. Growth and yield responses of mungbean to Rhizobium phaseoli inoculation and urea fertilizer application. Trends in Animal and Plant Sciences 6: 164-170. https://doi.org/10.62324/TAPS/2025.090

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Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) is an important legume for food and nutritional security, but its productivity is often constrained by poor nodulation and soil fertility challenges. Integrating rhizobial inoculation with mineral nitrogen inputs has been proposed as a strategy to improve growth and yield while reducing fertilizer dependency. This study examined the independent and combined effects of Rhizobium phaseoli inoculation and urea fertilization on mungbean growth, nodulation, and yield under acidic soil conditions. A split plot design was used with three levels of Rhizobium inoculation (0, 10, and 15 g/kg seed) and four levels of urea fertilizer (0, 25, 37.5, and 50 kg/ha), resulting in 12 treatment combinations replicated three times. Parameters measured included nodule number, effective nodules, leaf area, plant height, number of filled pods, seeds per pod, hundred-seed weight, and seed yield per plant, per plot, and per hectare. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at the 5% significance level. No significant interaction between inoculation and urea was detected for any parameter. Urea application significantly reduced nodulation, with unfertilized plants forming the most total (57.1 nodules/plant) and effective nodules (28.0 nodules/plant). Inoculation did not improve growth or yield, likely due to soil acidity limiting rhizobial effectiveness. Most yield components were unaffected by treatments, but grain yield per plot was highest without urea (604.6 g/plot; 1.61 t/ha), declining with fertilizer application. High urea inputs suppressed nodulation and failed to improve yield under acidic soil conditions. In contrast, unfertilized plants achieved the best balance of nodulation and yield. These findings highlight the need for soil amelioration and the use of adapted rhizobial strains rather than reliance on mineral nitrogen fertilization. Sustainable mungbean productivity will depend on integrating biological nitrogen fixation with improved soil fertility management.