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Organic vs. Inorganic Fertilizers: A Review on Sustainable Mung Bean Production under Kabul Semi‑Arid Conditions

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Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) is a short‑duration legume of high nutritional and agronomic importance, particularly suited to semi‑arid regions such as Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite its potential, mung bean productivity in Afghanistan remains below global averages, constrained by poor soil fertility, limited varietal development, and inadequate crop management practices. This review synthesizes Kabul University research and global literature, focusing on the comparative impacts of organic and inorganic fertilizer practices on mung bean yield attributes. Organic fertilizers such as farmyard manure, compost, and humic‑acid enriched biomass enhance soil structure, microbial activity, and long‑term fertility, whereas inorganic fertilizers supply rapid nutrient availability but risk soil degradation if used exclusively. Evidence from Kabul trials demonstrated that humic‑acid enriched organic fertilizer (OF2) produced superior plant height, grain number per pod, seed yield, and biological yield compared to NPK and control treatments, underscoring its relevance for semi‑arid Kabul conditions. Integrated nutrient management (INM), combining organic and inorganic inputs, offers synergistic benefits by balancing productivity with sustainability. However, adoption in Afghanistan is constrained by economic limitations, weak extension services, and limited varietal testing. This review concludes that INM represents the most sustainable pathway for mung bean cultivation in Kabul’s semi‑arid environment, while highlighting research gaps in varietal response, soil fertility restoration, and farmer adoption strategies.

Review of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer Practices in Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) under Kabul Climatic Conditions

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Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) is a short-duration pulse crop of global importance, valued for its nutritional quality, nitrogen-fixing ability, and adaptability to semi-arid climates. In Afghanistan, particularly under Kabul agro-climatic conditions, productivity remains below global averages due to poor soil fertility, limited access to improved varieties, and inadequate nutrient management. This review synthesizes recent evidence (2022–2026) on organic and inorganic fertilizer practices in mung bean cultivation. Organic amendments such as poultry manure at higher application rates (8–10 t ha⁻¹) significantly enhance vegetative growth, pod formation, and grain yield [1,2,4]. Inorganic NPK fertilizers provide immediate nutrient availability but risk long-term soil degradation if applied alone [3,6]. Integrated nutrient management (INM), combining mineral fertilizers with organic inputs, improves soil fertility, microbial activity, and sustainability, offering superior productivity outcomes [7,11,12]. Improved varieties such as Enam demonstrate positive responses under INM strategies, underscoring the importance of genotype × environment × management interactions [2,5,9]. Recent studies highlight biofertilizers and micronutrient supplementation as promising approaches to further enhance nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and seed quality [3,8,10]. Key research gaps remain in varietal performance, soil fertility constraints, and region-specific INM practices. Adoption of integrated fertilizer management can substantially improve mung bean productivity and soil health in Kabul and similar semi-arid regions, contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture.

Effects of Different Levels of DAP on Agronomical Characteristics and Yield of Mung bean

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Phosphorus deficiency is one of the main factors restricting mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) production in many parts of the world, including Afghanistan. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out in the 2025 growing season at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kabul University, to determine the influence of different diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer levels on mung bean growth and yield. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, consisting of four DAP rates: 0, 30, 60, and 90 kg ha⁻¹. The collected growth and yield data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and mean comparisons were performed using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at a 5% probability level. The application of DAP fertilizer significantly improved plant height, shoot dry matter, number of branches, pods per plant, pod length, seeds per pod, and 100-seed weight. However, leaf number, grain weight per square meter, seed yield, and harvest index did not show significant differences among fertilizer treatments, although higher values were generally observed compared with the control treatment. The maximum seed yield (870.83 kg ha⁻¹) was obtained from the application of 60 kg DAP ha⁻¹, while the highest performance for most growth and yield-related traits was recorded under 90 kg DAP ha⁻¹. The findings suggest that DAP fertilizer application enhances mung bean growth and yield performance under the environmental conditions of Kabul. Among the tested fertilizer levels, 60 kg DAP ha⁻¹ was found to be the most effective rate for achieving higher grain yield.