INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION, FYM AND SULPHUR ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arientinum L.) UNDER MIDDLE GUJARAT CONDITIONS
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Date
2004
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AAU, Anand
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Regional !3ugarcane Research Station, Gujarat Agricultural University, Thasra during rabi season of the year 2002-03 to study the "Influence of irrigation, FYM and sulphur on growth, yield and quality of chickpea under middle Gujarat conditions". The soil of the experimental plots was sandy clay loam in texture having good drainage with 7.9 pH. The soil was low in organic matter and available nitrogen, while medium in available phosphorus and high in available potassium. The experiment comprised of two levels of irrigation viz., l0 (only pre-sowing irrigation) and I1 (Pre sowing irrigation plus irrigation at flowering stage) and FYM viz., Fo (0 tones FYM ha-1) and F1 (10 tormes FYM ha-1) in main plots and three levels of sulphur (So: 0, Sr. 20, S3: 40 kg S ha-1) in sub plots. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replications. Most of the growth parameters studies during the course of investigation such as plant height, number of branches per plant, number of nodules and dry weight of nodules per plant showed significant improvement due to application of supplemental irrigation at flowering stage with pre-sowing irrigation. Perusal of these data in general indicated that the maximum vegetative growth was achieved by application of two irrigations each at pre-sowing and at flowering stage (I1). Increased vegetative growth due to irrigation application had brought concomitant improvement in yield attributes and finally in the yield. The yield attributes viz., number of pods per plant, grain yield per plant, test weight and total grain and straw yields were significantly improved by irrigation applied at pre-sowing and one supplemental irrigation at flowering stage. On the contrary, variation in harvest index due to irrigation treatment was absent. Among the quality parameters, nitrogen, protein and sulphur contents in grain were significantly enhanced under pre and post sowing irrigation treatment. The differences in post harvest available soil nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and sulphur were unaltered by irrigation schedule but post harvest available phosphorus was recorded significantly higher under the application of irrigation at pre-sowing plus irrigation at flowering stage than application of pre-sowing irrigation alone. Further, irrigation schedule at pre-sowing and post sowing (at flowering stage) tended to recorded higher moisture content at flowering (50 DAS) and pod development stage than irrigation at sowing only. Growth parameters such as plant height, number of branches per plant, number of nodules and dry weight of nodules per plant were significantly increased due to application of FYM. Profound vegetative growth due to FYM application had resulted into significantly more number of pods per plant, grain yield per plant, test weight and there by more grain and straw yields. Whereas, variation in harvest index duo to FYM was absent. The nitrogen and protein contents in grain were also improved significantly by FYM application. Whereas, sulphur content in grain remains unaffected due to FYM application. Further, the FYM application tended to increase the post harvest available soil nitrogen and phosphorus significantly. Available soil potassium and sulphur contents did not differ significantly due to FYM application. Application of FYM also found beneficial in moisture retention of soil. FYM significantly improved the soil moisture content recorded at flowering (50 DAS) and pod development stages (90 DAS). Sulphur application in chickpea had significant effect on almost all attributes studied during the course of investigation, wherein S2 (40 kg S ha-1) showed significant superiority over S1 (20 kg S ha-1) and So (0 kg S ha-1) in plant height recorded at 60 DAS, number of nodules and dry weight of nodules per plant. While, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, grain yield per plant, test weight as well as total grain and straw yields were significantly improved up to Si (20 kg S ha-1). Further application of sulphur (40 kg S ha-1) was not found beneficial in these parameters. Plant height recorded at harvest did not differ significantly due to sulphur application. Application of sulphur @ 40 kg S ha-i recorded significantly higher nitrogen, protein and sulphur contents in grain over 20 kg S ha-1 and 0 kg S ha-1. The difference in post harvest available soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphonis and potassium was not observed due to sulphur application. While, the post harvest S content noted significantly higher under 40 and 20 kg S ha-1 over 0 kg S ha-1. Further, moisture content in soil at flowering stage (50 DAS) noted significantly highest under by 40 kg S ha-1. While, at pod development stage (90 DAS) it was remain unaffected due to sulphur treatment. From the foregoing results, it is pertinent that chickpea variety ICCC-4 gave highest yield as well as net return when it was irrigated two times (at pre sowing and flowering stage) with application of FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 and sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1.
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AGRONOMY, AGRICULTURE, A STUDY