Seed Priming and Foliar Urea Application for Enhancing Productivity of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Under Rainfed Conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2005–2007 on vertisols at Kota, Rajasthan to study the effect of seed priming with water and foliar urea application at different growth stages on productivity of rainfed chickpea. Seed priming i.e. soaking the seeds in water for 8 h significantly improved germination %, seedling vigour and hence proper plant stand was achieved. It had also improved branches/plant and pods/plant and 100 seed weight during both the years. It had improved seed yield by 7.6 and 7.2 % over control during 2005–2006 and 2006–2007, respectively. Corresponding increase in biological yield and N uptake was recorded. This low cost technology gave additional returns of Rs. 2,410 on pooled basis. Irrespective of spray time and multiplicity, foliar application of 2 % urea solution significantly improved number of branches/plant, pods/plant and 100 seed weight during both the years over water spray. Urea spray at flower initiation applied singly or in combination with another spray either 10 days thereafter or preceded by another spray at vegetative stage significantly increased seed yield of chickpea. Single spray at flower initiation and in combination with another spray 10 days thereafter improved seed yield by 16.2 and 19.2 % and extra returns of Rs. 4,820 and Rs. 5,620 over water spray, respectively.