Assessing the effects of Pennisetum glaucum on the soil properties, growth, nutritive, and physiological aspects of the edible pulse crop (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek)

Mung bean cropping plays a vital role in providing essential nutrition and serving as a significant summer crop to feed billions of people worldwide. However, allelopathy poses a threat to the sustainability and productivity of this system. The residues of pearl millet plants contain allelochemicals that can negatively impact weed growth in various crops. This study aimed to evaluate the potential allelopathic effects of pearl millet powder on the germination, growth, pigments, protein, and carbohydrate levels of mung beans. Different quantities of whole plant powder, namely 0, 5, 10, and 15 g of pearl millet, were blended into medium-sized pots, each containing 500 g of soil. Mung bean seeds were grown in these pots for 3-4 days in a greenhouse before transplanting them into an open field. The findings revealed that as the quantity of pearl millet powder increased, the germination percentage, germination speed, plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, chlorophyll content, carotenoid, protein, and carbohydrate amount of mung beans decreased. The physio-chemical properties of soils treated with pearl millet exhibited higher pH, conductivity, total solids, and heavy metal content than control soils. The decrease in the aforementioned attributes in soils treated with pearl millet powder could be due to the release of allelochemicals and/or the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil.These results demonstrate that using pearl millet as an herbicide to control weeds is effective, but caution must be exercised if heavy metals accumulate in the pearl millet tissue.