Abstract
The field experiment studied the effect of irrigation [irrigation 15 days before sowing (DBS), irrigation 15 DBS + rice straw mulch, irrigation 7 DBS and irrigation 7 DBS + one irrigation at flower initiation] and biofertilizers [no biofertilizer (control), Rhizobium inoculation and Rhizobium inoculation + phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB)] on chickpea growth. In mulch treatment, paddy straw mulch was applied at 4 t ha−1 one day after pre-sowing irrigation and was retained until sowing. Pre-sowing irrigation at 15 DBS showed 28.7 and 30.0% less plant stand than irrigation applied 15 DBS + straw mulch and irrigation applied 7 DBS, respectively. Nodulation was significantly higher with irrigation 15 DBS + mulch and irrigation 7 DBS than with irrigation applied 15 DBS. The grain yield was 16.6, 20.3 and 44.0% higher in irrigation 15 DBS + mulch, irrigation 7 DBS and irrigation 7 DBS + irrigation at flowering treatments, respectively, over irrigation at 15 DBS. Rhizobium inoculation significantly improved the number of nodules and nodule dry weight compared with no treatment. Grain yield was significantly higher with Rhizobium than in untreated plots. Water use efficiency was highest when irrigation was applied 7 DBS.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.