Two field experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the National Research Centre at Shalakan, Kalubia Governorate, Egypt in summer seasons of 1999 and 2000. The objective of the experiments were to study the effect of phosphorus levels and some weed control treatments on pigments, physiological parameters, yield and chemical composition of mungbean seeds as well as associated weeds. The most important results obtained from this study could be summarized as follows:
- Increasing P-level from 0 to 15, 30 and 45 Kg P2O5/fed significantly increased fresh and dry weights of total weeds after 45 and 60 days from sowing, pigments, physiological parameters, yield and chemical composition of the yielded mungbean seeds compared with unfertilized treatment.
- All weed control treatments reduced significantly fresh and dry weights of total weeds as compared to the un-weeded treatments. The most effective treatments for weed control in mungbean field were: two hand hoeing; bentazone + one hand hoeing and butralin + one hand hoeing.
- Applications of two hand hoeing recorded the highest values of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotinoids and consequently total chlorophyll and total pigments compared to other treatments followed by the of one hand hoeing treatment and butralin + one hand hoeing. Vise-versa, bentazon and fluazifop-butyl produced the lowest values of the aforementioned characters.
- Application of two hand hoeing treatment recorded the highest values of physiological characters, yield and chemical composition of mungbean seeds. But, un-weeded treatment produced the highest values of specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf area duration (LAD).
- The interaction between phosphorus levels and weed control treatments had significant effect on net assimilation ratio (NAR) and crop growth rate (CGR). Application of 45 Kg P2O5/fed produced greater NAR and CGR compared with other treatments when two hand hoeing applied.
On the light of the obtained results, the present study recommended the importance of good phosphorus fertilization and weed control via two hand hoeing for mungbean cultivations in order to get better results.