Objective This study aims to investigate the effects of different molybdenum (Mo) application methods on the yield, quality and physiological metabolism of adzuki bean (Vigna angularis), providing a scientific basis for high-yield and high-efficiency fertilization strategies.
Method Field experiments were conducted in Baoding, Hebei Province, from 2021 to 2023, using two adzuki bean cultivars, Baohong 8824 and Baohong 947. Four treatments were established: no Mo application (T1), basal application of Mo (T2), seed soaking with Mo (T3), and foliar spraying of Mo (T4). Phenotypic traits such as plant height and root length were measured at the branching, full flowering, and pod-filling stages. Photosynthetic characteristics, yield, quality-related data, and root structural features were recorded and analyzed.
Results In 2021–2023, results consistently showed T3 treatment most significantly optimized adzuki bean root morphology (P<0.05). Specifically, at the branching stage, compared with T1, root length, surface area, volume, and root nodule number of Baohong 947 increased by 12.46%, 20.11%, 52.79%, 62.77%, respectively; and those of Baohong 8824 by 43.31%, 24.38%, 43.49%, 51.16%, respectively. Additionally, T2 and T4 had higher root morphology indexes than T1 but significantly lower than T3. Compared with T1, T2, T3 and T4 treatment enhanced the average seed yields of Baohong 947 and Baohong 8824 by 9.88%, 19.97%, and 5.19%, respectively; T3 promoted the seed starch content of Baohong 947 and Baohong 8824 by 10.41% and 13.46%, the soluble sugar content by 31.54% and 18.94%, soluble protein content by 8.03% and 11.36%, and fat content by 41.79% and 38.66% (P<0.05). During the full-flowering period, T3 treatment showed the most significant promotion effect on leaf dry matter accumulation (24.10% for Baohong 947 and 19.09% for Baohong 8824), net photosynthetic rate (36.44%, 20.60%), transpiration rate (10.16%, 19.02%), amylase activity (36.31%, 35.64%), and nitrate reductase activity (52.51%, 49.51%). T2 and T4 showed promotion effects on the indicators, which were higher than T1 but lower than T3 (P<0.05).
Conclusion Seed soaking of ammonium molybdate demonstrated the higheat effect on enhancing photosynthetic efficiency and transpiration rate, promoting root development and dry matter accumulation, significantly increasing yield and quality of adzuki bean. Basal application or leaf spraying of ammonium molybdate showed less obvious effect. So seed soaking of ammonium molybdate is recommended in the production of adzuki bean.
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