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MUNGBEAN (VIGNA RADIATA) IN WHEAT BASED CROPPING SYSTEM: AN OPTION FOR RESOURCE CONSERVATION UNDER RAINFED ECOSYSTEM

MUHAMMAD ASIM, MUHAMMAD ASLAM, N.I. HASHMI AND NAFEES SADIQ KISANA

Abstract: Pakistan has 17 agro-ecological zones and in 11 of these rainfed agriculture prevails. The present paper gives an account of the experimental evidence demonstrating the potential importance of mungbean in the rainfed cropping systems with the goal to develop a sustainable agriculture at a higher level of productivity and profitability. Agro-economic studies of mungbean-wheat and fallow-wheat cropping systems revealed that water requirement for mungbean growth cycle varied depending upon seasons, potential evapotranspiration (ETo) and crop coefficients. Under agro-ecosystem of Islamabad, rainfall is surplus than water requirements of mungbean. The study also showed that the response of wheat growth, development and yield differ significantly when followed after mungbean crop as compared to fallow. Net monetary benefits of Rs.5820 per hectare could be obtained by sowing Mungbean in wheat based cropping system.

Wheat Programme, National Agricultural Research Centre, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan.