Screening of Mungbean Genotypes under Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Induced Drought Stress Condition

Sixteen advance genotypes of mungbeans under 5 different concentrations of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) were studied to find out the better cultivar against drought stress condition. The experiment results revealed that germination, seedling production and water-related behavior of mungbean genotypes differed significantly under different PEG (drought inducer) concentrations. The mungbean genotype BINA Mung-6 (V8) is proved as highly tolerant against drought stress condition among all other tested genotypes. The results of the investigation revealed that BINA Mung-6 (V8) genotype consistently scored the highest value for all parameters except for the root shoot ratio and water retention capacity that was statistically comparable to genotypes BARI Mung-4 (V2) and BINA Mung-5 (V7). Consistently poor performance were recorded from IPM-02-03 (V16) genotype which is statistically similar as genotypes BMXK1-09015-2 (V13) and BMXK1-09015-6 (V10). The maximum percentage of germination (98.12%), shoot length (139.40 mm), root length (99.07 mm), shoot dry weight (22.32 mg), root dry weight (6.88 mg), relative water content (94.78), water retention capacity (24.98), germination co-efficient (22.27) and vigor index (233.90) were reported from BINA Mung-6 (V8) at a concentration of 0 percent PEG. The minimum percentage of germination (28.22 percent), shoot length (31.17 mm), root length (16.50 mm), shoot dry weight (2.21 mg), root dry weight (0.97 mg), relative water content (25.55), water retention capacity (3.08), germination co-efficient (6.06) and vigor index (13.45) were reported from IPM-02-03 (V16) mungbean advance lines at 0 percent PEG. Maximum (0.92) root shoot ratio was recorded from both BARI Mung-8 (V6) and BMX-08011-2 (V11) mungbean genotypes at 20 percent PEG concentration and minimum (0.22) at 0 percent PEG concentration from BARI Mung-5 (V3) genotype. Maximum water retention capacity (74.45) was recorded at 20 per cent PEG concentration from IPM-02-03 (V16) genotype and minimum (5.22) was at 0 per cent PEG concentration from BINA Mung-6 (V8) genotype.