Growth and Productivity of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Varieties as Influenced by Seed Rate and Nipping in the Irrigated Arid Western Plain Zone

Abstract

Background: Chickpea plays a greater role in national food and nutritional security and sustaining the economy of the farming community in a variety of ways. As a result of stagnated production and continuous increasing in population, the per capita availability of pulses has decreased considerably. Since very little scope exists for horizontal expansion of area, the alternative seems to be by adopting innovative agronomic practices like nipping, selection of proper seed rate and variety for a set of agro-climatic conditions to overcome from decreasing production potential. In view of above consideration, the present investigation entitled “Response of seed rate and nipping on different chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties in arid irrigated western plain zone” was carried out. Methods: The field experiment was conducted at SKRAU, Bikaner during two consecutive Rabi seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications, assigning 36 treatments consisting of three varieties (GNG-1581, GNG-1958 and GNG-2171) and three seed rates (48, 64 and 80 kg/ha) as main plot treatments and four levels of nipping practice (control, nipping at 30, 45 and 60 DAS) as subplot treatments. Result: Variety GNG-1581 had significantly shorter plant stature with higher number of branches/plant (13.94), pods/plant (40.14), seeds/pod (1.78), seed yield (2142 kg/ha), whereas, variety GNG-1958 showed significantly higher plant height (52.53 cm) and straw yield (3720 kg/ha). Number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant and seed index were found significantly higher in the seed rate of 48 kg/ ha. Maximum plant population, plant height, seed yield (2111 kg/ha.), straw yield (3657 kg/ha) were recorded with the seed rate of 80 kg/ ha but on par with the seed rate of 64 kg/ha. Nipping had a significant effect on growth, yield attributes and yield of chickpea. The highest number of branches/plant (13.32), pods/plant (39.61), seed/pod (1.78), seed index (19.16 g), seed yield (2121 kg/ha) and straw yield (3695 kg/ha) were obtained when nipping was practiced at 45 DAS.