Aug 2026· International Journal of Current Science Research and Review· Vol 09· 0 citations
Abstract
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.
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.
Shafiullah Mohmand, Prof. Mohammad Hamid Osmankhil· International Journal of Cur...· 0 citations
Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a globally important crop valued for its high protein and oil content, yet its productivity in Afghanistan remains constrained by poor soil fertility and reliance on chemical fertilizers. This review article synthesizes experimental evidence on the comparative effects of organic inputs (night soil, farm manure) and inorganic fertilizers (diammonium phosphate, urea) on soybean growth and yield under Kabul’s semi‑arid conditions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate sustainable nutrient management strategies that enhance crop productivity while maintaining soil health.
Field trials conducted at Kabul University employed a randomized complete block design with five treatments: control, night soil, farm manure, DAP, and urea. Growth parameters such as plant height, branches per plant, leaf number, and pods per plant were measured alongside yield attributes including 100‑seed weight and grain yield. Results demonstrated that organic amendments significantly improved soybean performance compared to chemical fertilizers. Farm manure produced the tallest plants, highest branching, and maximum pods per plant, with grain yield reaching 1725 kg/ha. Night soil accelerated flowering and pod formation while also improving yield (1616 kg/ha). In contrast, urea resulted in the lowest yield (1262 kg/ha), highlighting the limitations of sole reliance on chemical inputs.
The findings confirm that organic fertilizers enhance soil structure, microbial activity, and long‑term fertility, making them vital for sustainable soybean production in semi‑arid Kabul. Integrating organic inputs into nutrient management strategies can reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers, improve food security, and support climate‑resilient agriculture in Afghanistan.
Ezatullah Aryubi, A. G. Ayubi, Amira Saidi· International Journal of Cur...· 0 citations
Background: A field study was conducted to evaluate integrated nutrient management practices involving organic, inorganic, microbial and nano-fertilizer approaches for improving growth, yield, phosphorus uptake, economics and soil biological properties of mung bean varieties. Methods: Two mung bean varieties, Pusa-1431 and Virat, were tested under six nutrient management treatments in a factorial randomized block design during the Kharif season. Observations on growth, yield, phosphorus uptake, economics and soil biological activity were analyzed using ANOVA. Result: Pusa-1431 performed better than Virat in growth, yield, phosphorus uptake and soil biological activity. The treatment comprising 75% NPK + FYM @ 5 t ha-1 + NPK consortia + Nano-P spray at 25 DAS produced the highest grain yield (12.4 q ha-1), benefit:cost ratio (2.35), phosphorus uptake and soil microbial activity, indicating that integrated nutrient management enhanced productivity, nutrient-use efficiency and soil health compared to sole chemical fertilization.
Balveer Singh, Rohit Kumar, A. Singh et al.· Legume Research An Internati...· 0 citations
Sandy soils are characterized by low organic matter content, weak nutrient retention, and limited water-holding capacity, which restrict crop productivity in arid and semi-arid regions. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of biochar, Azolla pinnata, and eggshell powder on soil properties and the productivity of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in sandy soil. Field experiments were conducted during two consecutive growing seasons (2021–2022) at the Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, Egypt, using a randomized complete block design with eight treatments and three replicates. Soil chemical properties, photosynthetic pigments, vegetative growth, biomass accumulation, and yield parameters were evaluated. The combined application of biochar, Azolla, and eggshell powder significantly improved soil fertility compared with the control treatment. Soil organic matter increased to 0.70%, while available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium reached 51.10, 6.67, and 200 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The integrated treatment also enhanced chlorophyll content, plant growth, biomass production, and seed yield across both seasons. Correlation analysis indicated strong positive relationships between soil organic matter, nutrient availability, and crop productivity. These results demonstrate that the integrated application of biochar, Azolla pinnata, and eggshell powder can effectively improve soil fertility and enhance the productivity of Phaseolus vulgaris in sandy soil systems.
D. M. Khalifa, A. Alrashidi, Ammar Al-Farga et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
Declining soil fertility is a major constraint to sustainable crop production in sub-Saharan Africa, and sole reliance on inorganic fertilizers raises concerns about long-term soil health. This study evaluated the effects of maize cob biochar and NPK fertilizer, applied individually and in combination, on soil properties, growth, and yield of maize (
Zea mays
L.) in Akure, Nigeria. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Treatments included control, biochar (1.5 and 3.0 t/ha), NPK fertilizer (100 and 200 kg/ha), and a combined application of 1.5 t/ha biochar with 100 kg/ha fertilizer. Growth parameters measured included plant height, leaf area index, internode length, and stem girth, while yield indices and post-harvest soil chemical properties were also assessed. Results showed that all treatments significantly improved maize performance compared to the control. Biochar alone produced the highest growth values and yield components, including cob weight (375.12 g), number of seeds per cob (707.80), and seed weight per cob (203.53 g), compared to the control (161.50 g, 104.73, and 37.49 g, respectively). The combined treatment also recorded high values (313.52 g, 670.50, and 169.94 g). Biochar improved soil properties, increasing organic carbon (0.89%) and organic matter (1.52%) relative to the control (0.69% and 0.19%), while fertilizer enhanced available phosphorus (5.39 cmol/kg). The study concludes that integrating maize cob biochar with inorganic fertilizer is an effective and sustainable strategy for improving soil fertility and maize productivity.
O. Nwafor, A. Johnson, Akinbuwa Olumakinde et al.· Advances in Bioscience and B...· 0 citations
Declining soil organic matter and imbalanced fertiliser use threaten sustainable agricultural production in Bangladesh, where limited arable land demands efficient integrated nutrient management. This study assessed the effects of biochar, vermicompost, cowdung, and poultry manure, each combined with an Integrated Plant Nutrient System (IPNS)-based inorganic fertiliser dose, on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) yield, soil carbon, and nutrient dynamics, compared with the recommended chemical fertiliser treatment. A field experiment was conducted during the 2018 rabi season at Shibalaya Upazila, Manikganj, using a randomised complete block design with five treatments and three replications. Soil samples collected every 30 days over five months were analysed for pH, organic carbon, and available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur. Poultry manure produced the highest fresh (9.79 t ha⁻¹) and dry (2.85 t ha⁻¹) chilli yields, followed by cowdung and vermicompost, whereas biochar yielded the lowest among the organic amendments (7.83 and 2.41 t ha⁻¹, respectively). Biochar, however, was the only treatment to increase soil organic carbon, recording a 7.14% gain after five months, while organic carbon declined under all other treatments, most sharply under the recommended fertiliser (−14.30%) and more modestly under vermicompost, cowdung, and poultry manure (−9.64% to −10.71%). Soil pH and available nutrients increased initially before gradually declining, with biochar maintaining the greatest improvement in available sulphur. These findings indicate that poultry manure is the most effective amendment for enhancing short-term chilli productivity, whereas biochar shows greater potential for long-term soil carbon sequestration and soil fertility improvement, a trend observed within a single cropping season that warrants confirmation over successive seasons. The results have practical implications for integrated nutrient and soil-carbon management policy in Bangladesh and comparable smallholder farming systems.
Md. Shamim Afridi, M. Rahman, Most Shirina Akter et al.· Asian Journal of Soil Scienc...· 0 citations
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