Effect of basal and foliar application of diammonium phosphate in cognizance with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria on growth, yield and quality of rainfed chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

A rainfed experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2011–12 and 2012–13 at Kumarganj, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh to study the effect of diammonium phosphate (DAP) applied through soil and foliage in conjunction with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on growth characters, yield attributes and yield, seed protein content, nutrient uptake and phosphorus-use efficiency (PUE) of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The application of 50 kg DAP/ha as basal + 50 kg DAP/ha as foliar in 2 splits 45 and 60 days after sowing + PSB significantly increased the growth attributes (plant height, primary branches/plant, leaf area/plant, number and dry weight of nodules/plant, root and shoot dry weight/plant, root: shoot ratio), yield attributes and yield (pods/plant, 1,000-seed weight, seed yield, biological yield), seed protein content, N and P uptake and PUE of chickpea. However, seeds/ pod and harvest index were not affected significantly due to the application of DAP in cognizance with PSB. Thus, split application of 100 kg DAP/ha (½ through soil + ½ through foliage in 2 splits at 45 and 60 DAS) in conjunction with PSB proved effective in enhancing growth, yield (1,486 kg/ha; 102% increase over the control) and quality of chickpea grown under rainfed conditions.