Productivity, profitability and sustainability of rain-fed chickpea under inorganic and biofertilization in foothills of north-west Himalayas

Abstract

A 4-year (2008–2009 to 2011–2012) study was conducted on the effect of mineral phosphorus (P) + sulphur (S) and biofertilizers on rain-fed chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) at the Punjab Agricultural University’s Research Station, Ballowal Saunkhri, India. The experiment comprised of five combinations of P and S, viz. control (P0S0), no P + 10 kg S ha−1 (P0S10), 15 kg P + 10 kg S ha−1 (P15S10), no P + 20 kg S ha−1 (P0S20) and 30 kg P + 20 kg S ha−1 (P30S20); and three seed inoculation levels, viz. control, Rhizobium and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), were laid out in randomized complete block design. Combined application of P + S resulted in improved growth, nodulation, yield attributes and yield. The increase in seed yield over control due to P + S ranged from 11.8% to 17.7%. Seed inoculation with Rhizobium recorded the highest growth, nodulation, yield attributes and yield of chickpea and was statistically at par with PSB and significantly better than no inoculation. Highest benefit/cost ratio (B:C, 2.19) was obtained in P30S20. In view of environmental pollution and high costs of chemical fertilizers, biofertilizers alone or in combination may help to achieve sustainable and ecological agricultural production.