Physiological and nutraceutical properties of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) pre-soaked in bioregulators

Abstract

Mung bean (Vigna radiata) is a highly nutritious legume with significant potential for enhancing food security. However, its productivity is often constrained by suboptimal growth. This study investigated the effects of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) and Gibberellic Acid (GA) on the physiological and nutraceutical properties of mung beans. V. radiata (n=10) were soaked in 0.75 and 1.5 µM of Indole Acetic Acid and Gibberellic Acid, respectively. They were later sown (n=5) in a pot of soil in a completely randomized block design. The plants were harvested at maturity. Growth parameters (weight of the leaves, number of leaves, stem girth, percentage germination, number of seeds per pod, and plant height), nutraceutical properties (phytochemicals ; flavonoids, steroids, terpenes, coumarins, glycosides, polyphenols, alkaloids, tannins, saponins), and antioxidant activities (DPPH, FRAP, nitric oxide, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity), proximate compositions (crude protein, fat, fibre, moisture, ash and carbohydrate), and mineral elements (Na, K, Ca, P, Fe, Zn and Mn) were evaluated. The results showed that IAA and GA significantly (P≤0.05) increased all measured parameters in a concentration-dependent manner as compared with the control. The 1.5 µM GA treatment consistently yielded the highest values, demonstrating superior efficacy in promoting growth and increasing nutraceutical properties. This study indicated that GA at 1.5 µM could be an appropriate and effective concentration for improving the agronomic performance, phytochemicals, nutritional, and antioxidant properties of mung beans. Therefore, it could be adopted by farmers and relevant stakeholders to enhance the yield and nutritional quality of mung beans for sustainable agricultural production.