Laser Leveler Maximized Chickpea's Growth and Yield Traits (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

Since the introduction of laser leveler for land leveling in agriculture, farming community has been discussing the comparative role of different leveling implements in enhancement of crop growth and yield. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the performance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) crop under three leveling implements, including planker, iron blade and laser leveler. The research was carried out at the “Students’ Experimental Farm” of the Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan, during winter season of 2021-22. The field experiment was thrice replicated in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD, factorial) on a net area of the plot (9 m2) per replication of each treatment, a total of 81 m2 per treatment. The results showed that land leveled under T3 (Laser leveler) resulted maximum growth and yield traits such as days to 50% germination (18.0), days to 50% flowering (47.53), days to 50% pod formation (77.53), plant height (72.63 cm), pods plant-1 (71.8), seed index (193.33 g), biological yield (4226.66 kg ha-1), grain yield (2550.0 kg ha-1) and harvest index (59.64 %), followed by T1 = Leveling with planker. While the minimum results recorded in T2 = Leveling with iron blade for all parameters. Therefore, land should be leveled with laser leveler to achieve the higher seed (grain) yield per unit area because it ensures uniform distribution of water, fertilizer, and ease in field operations.