Mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) plays a vital role in enhancing food security and soil fertility within cereal-based cropping systems of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Despite its agronomic potential, yield stagnation persists due to suboptimal nutrient management. A field experiment conducted during Kharif 2023–24 at the Agricultural Research Farm, BHU, evaluated six nutrient management treatments under a randomized block design to assess their impact on mung bean productivity and profitability. The integration of 100% Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (RDF) through specialized NPK pulse fertilizer(14:35:14) supplemented with MOP and urea (T3) recorded the highest seed yield (2.24 t ha⁻¹), biological yield (5.58 t ha⁻¹), and harvest index (38.4%). Economic analysis revealed T3 as the most viable option,  achieving the highest net return (` 1,59,071.54 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (3.27). The superior performance is attributed to balanc ed macro- and micronutrient availability, enhanced nodulation, and improved

physiological efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of micronutrient-enriched fertilizer strategies for sustainable mung bean intensification in the Indo-Gangetic Plains.

Highlights

• Balanced NPK pulse fertilizer enriched with Zn, B, and Mo significantly enhanced mung bean yield and physiology, with treatments T3 (100% RDF) and T5 (125% RDF) recording the highest seed yield (2.24 t ha⁻¹), biological yield (~5.6 t ha⁻¹), and superior harvest indices.
• Micronutrient-enriched fertilization strategies improved nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and resourceuse efficiency, underscoring their role in sustainable intensification of pulse-based systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plains while bridging yield gaps and strengthening food security.
• Economic analysis revealed T3 as the most cost-effective treatment, achieving the highest net return (1,59,071.54 ha⁻¹), benefit-cost ratio (3.27), and ROI (2.27), thereby outperforming conventional fertilization practices despite comparable productivity with T5.