Effect of Fertility Levels and Bio-fertilizers Application on Yield, Yield Attributes, and Economics of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2017–18 at the Students' Instructional Farm of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh to evaluate the effect of different fertility levels and bio-fertilizers application on yield, yield attributes, and quality of late sown chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The experiment comprised of 12 treatment combinations in split plot design which comprised 4 treatments [F1 (control), F2 (RDF 100%), F3 (75% RDF), F4 (50% RDF)] in main plot and 3 treatments [B1 (Rhizobium + PSB), B2 (Rhizobium + PGPR) and B3 (Rhizobium + PSB + PGPR)] in sub plots with three replications. Results showed that among the different fertility levels, application of 100% RDF significantly enhanced yield and yield attributes over other treatment. Among the different bio-fertilizers treatments application of Rhizobium + PSB + PGPR had significantly improved yield attributes and seed yield as compared to Rhizobium + PGPR. The combined application of 100% RDF with Rhizobium + PSB + PGPR resulted in significantly higher seed yield of late sown chickpea during winter (Rabi). Higher values of economics viz., gross return, net return and B:C ratio in chickpea were observed with the application of 100% RDF + (Rhizobium + PSB + PGPR) treatments except cost of cultivation.