Foliar Application of Saudi Desert Plants Extract Improved Some Mungbean Agronomic Traits Under Drought Stress

To evaluate Saudi desert plants potential to promote mungbean growth under drought stress, a pot experiment was performed at field experimental station, King Abdulaziz University during 2016/2017 season. Drought stress was imposed by application of 40% and 60% field capacity (FC) levels. Pots with 100% field capacity were also maintained as control. Natural plant extracts of ten desert plants (Eucalyptus globulus, Azadirachta indica, Moringa oleifera Lam, Moringa peregrine Forssk., Tetraena simplex L., Simmondsia chinensis, Indigofera tinctoria, Dianella ensata, Emex spinosa, Ambrosia dumosa) were foliar applied prior to stress treatment application. Tap water treatment was used as control. Data for mungbean growth and pod characteristics were recorded. Drought stress decreased mungbean growth and severity of impact increased with lowering field capacity. The natural plant extract (NPE); NPE 9 (Dianella ensata) and NPE 11 (Ambrosia dumosa) favoured both plant growth 33% and pod characteristics 11%. The effect of NPE 6 (Tetraena simplex L.) and NPE 7 (Simmondsia chinensis) were significant for plant growth 21-24 cm while non-significant for pod characteristics under severe drought stress. On contrary, NPE 2 (Eucalyptus globulus) and NPE 3 (Azadirachta indica) effect was significant for mungbean pod characteristics 60% and non-significant for growth traits. The rest of the applied NPEs were non-significant for both growth and yield traits. The combination of NPE9 × FC-2, NPE6 × FC-2, NPE11 × FC-1 and NPE7 × FC-1 produced tallest plants (29.33 cm), maximum fresh biomass (8.54 g), dry biomass (6.71 g) and number of branches per plant (6.8). The combination of NPE2 × FC-2, NPE3 × FC-1, NPE9 × FC-1 and NPE11 × FC-3 produced maximum pods per plant (4.2), pod length (7 cm), pod fresh weight (5.4 g) and dry weight (4.5 g) respectively. It’s clear from the statistical analysis that mungbean performed better under medium stress level (FC-2) while NPE6, NPE7, NPE9 and NPE11 significantly stimulated plant growth under stressed environment. In conclusion, by application of Dianella ensata and Ambrosia dumosa, mungbean can be successfully grown under medium drought stress conditions.