EFFECT OF MODES AND LEVELS OF MOLYBDENUM APPLICATION ON GRAIN YIELD PROTEIN CONTENT AND NODULATION OF CHICKPEA GROWN ON LOAMY SAND SOIL

Abstract

A field experiment was laid out during three consecutive years of 1997–98 to 1999–2000 on loamy sand soil (typic ustipsamment) of the state of Rajasthan in India in rabi season to investigate the effect of modes of application and different levels of molybdenum (Mo) on grain yield, protein content and number of nodules per plant of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.; Variety RSG-44). Doses applied were: 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg Mo ha−1 as ammonium molybdate for soil application, and 1.75, 3.5 and 5.25 g sodium molybdate kg−1 seed for seed treatment. The six treatments with one control were replicated thrice in a randomized block design. The physico-chemical characteristics of the soil were: pH-8.1, EC 0.11 dsm−1 and OC 0.12%. Available N, P and K were 158, 20 and 216 kg ha−1, respectively. The Mo status of soil was 0.06 ppm. The three years' pooled data revealed that application of Mo either by soil application or through seed treatment, significantly increased the grain yield of chickpea. Soil application of 1.0 kg Mo ha−1 and seed treatment with 3.5 g sodium molybdate kg−1 seed increased the grain yield by 13.13% and 16.76% over the yields (24.4 and 24.5 q ha−1, respectively) at lower doses while it was at par with yields at higher doses of Mo. Protein content of grain, number of nodules per plant of chickpea and available nitrogen in soil also increased with increasing doses of Mo under both the modes of application.