Effect of Deficit Irrigation on Yield, Yield Components and Protein Content of Some Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) Genotypes

To investigate the effect of deficit irrigation on yield of mung bean genotypes, an experiment was conducted as a split plot in randomized complete block design (RCB) with three replications. The main plot was irrigation regime in three levels (supply of 100, 80 and 60% of crop water requirement) and subplot was genotype in five levels (VC 11-18b, VC 63-72, CN-9-5, NM 54 and 1-61-145). The results showed that effect of cultivar was significant on all traits, except seeds per pod. Also, the interaction of irrigation regime and genotype had no significant effect on grain weight, grain protein content and seeds per pod. Genotype VC 11-18-b had the highest number of pods, seed yield, harvest index and protein yield, when it received 100% of its water requirement. Results showed that with withholding water, the examined cultivars tended to produce a similar seed yield. The highest harvest index was obtained in VC 11-18-b genotype. But, notable difference in harvest index of NM 54 genotype (when it was subjected to application of 100% and 60% of water requirement) showed that water-induced modifications in grain and shoot dry mass yield in the latter cultivar was higher than the remaining genotypes. In general, irrigation regime had no significant effect on grain protein content.