Improved Mung Bean (Vigna radiate L.) Technology Demonstration and Promotion Under North-West Ethiopia

Abstract

North-West Ethiopia, particularly metekel area, was conducive for the production of lowland pulses including mung beans. However, because of some known and unknown factors the productivity of mung beans was not that much improved regardless of the study area’s potential. Due to this, a two season field experiment was conducted to demonstrate and promote improved mung bean varieties under pawe district for 2021 and 2022 consecutive cropping seasons. During 2021 and 2022 main seasons, demonstration and promotion of improved mung bean varieties with the direct involvement of stakeholders (farmers, agricultural experts, government officials, researchers) field day event was carried out. The improved mung bean varieties demonstrated and promoted were NVL-1, N-26 (Rasa), Shoarobit (as a check) and MH-97-6 (Borda). Small scale farmers and agricultural experts even district government officials were purposely selected from the nearby district (pawe) followed that theoretical trainings about the production of mung bean, were given during the event. Each event participants have set their own variety selection parameters; with this majority of the participants selected and promoted N-26 (Rasa), NVL-1 mung bean varieties based on high grain yield, more number of pods per plant, larger grain size, uniformity and earliness, the rest of the participants preferred Shoarobit (as a check) based on high biomass and grain yield whereas MH-97-6 (Borda) was selected and promoted based on medium duration and high yield. The author suggested that, those selected and promoted mung bean varieties (mainly N-26 (Rasa), NVL-1 and MH-97-6 (Borda) have been recommended for production under the study area and similar agro-ecologies to satisfy the seed demand raised by small scale farmers and other agents.