Biostimulants and calcium-mediated optimization in morpho-phenological growth of mung bean (<i>Vigna radiata</i> L.) in the summer season

Mung bean, botanically referred to as Vigna radiata is valued for its superb quality of nutrition, which includes a large amount of protein, minerals, and vitamins, making it a staple worldwide. Morpho-phenological traits are critical indicators of plant growth and development, which influence the overall yield and quality of the mung bean; thus, optimizing these traits can improve the yield barriers. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the impact of biostimulants and calcium-mediated response on the morpho-phenological growth of mung bean while assessing the growth, plant height (cm), number of leaves, leaf area plant-1 (cm²), leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), leaf area duration (LAD), SPAD reading, and total chlorophyll content (mg g-1) were used. Among the treatment combinations, T7 (Calcium, 10mM + Bio-priming with Rhizobium + Putrescine, 3mM) showed statistically significant improvements (p <0.05%) in all measured parameters. This treatment yielded the highest values across the board. The second-best results were observed with the T5 (Calcium, 10mM + Putrescine, 3mM), which also showed significant improvements for most of the parameters at both intervals, i.e. 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). Moreover, the analysis of the data in terms of percent increase/decrease over control produced a clear view of the morpho-physiological growth in the T7 and T5 treatments compared to the control, highlighting their effectiveness. Overall, this study revealed the significance of a synergistic approach of calcium, putrescine, and biopriming with rhizobium to optimize the morpho-phenological traits and enhance the yield of mung bean in the summer season.