Journal of Environmental Biology

Combined effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation and mineral nutrients on growth, biomass accumulation and yield

characteristics of two cultivars of Vigna radiata L.

 

S.B. Agrawal¹, Dheeraj Rathore² and Anoop Singh²

¹Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, India

²Department of Botany, Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Deemed University, Allahabad- 211 007, India

 

(Received: 1 March, 2004 ; Accepted: 29 September, 2004)

 

Abstract: In a field experiment, the effect of enhanced UV-B radiation (simulating 20% ozone depletion at Allahabad, 20⁰ 47? N latitude) was studied on two cultivars of Vigna radiata L. with various levels of mineral nutrients (N and P). Study showed decrease in total biomass accumulation, harvest index, RSR and yield after exposure with enhanced level of UV-B. RGR and CGR also showed decline after exposure with UV-B. Application of recommended dose of mineral nutrients alleviated the deleterious effect of UV-B and increased plant dry matter vis a vis yield. Both cultivars showed sensitivity to UV-B but cultivar Malviya Janpriya was more responsive to UV-B than Malviya Jyoti.

 

Key words: Biomass, Mineral nutrients, Growth, Ultraviolet-B, Vigna radiata, Yield.

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