Effect of moisture conservation practices, phosphorus levels and bacterial inoculation on chickpea (Cicer arietinum) under rainfed condition

A field experiment was conducted during winter (rabr) seasons of 1997 98 and 1998 99 at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to study the effect of conserved soil moisture, levels of phosphorus and bacterial seed inoculation. In situ moisture conservation through field bunding farmyard manure (FYM) 10 tonneslha proved to conserve maximum moisture and improved the yield, nodulation and water use efficiency (WUE) in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The next important practice was found to be field bunding green manure (GM) (dhaincha). However, both these practices did not exhibit marked differences on the yield during both the years as well as in pooled data. Application of phosphorus 60 kg P2051ha significantly increased yield attributes, yield, number of noduledplant, dry weight of nodules and consumptive use of water. The increase in above values was progressively related to P doses from 0 to 60 kg P2051ha. However, grain yield and WUE were maximum (20.02 ql ha and 8.38 kg/ha mm) up to 30 kg P2051ha in both the years. Use of phosphate solubilizing bacteria increased the yield attributes, like poddplants, seed weight1 plant and test weight and consumptive use of water and WUE of the chickpea in comparison to no inoculation.