Tillage and seed rates effect on weed biomass, grain and biological yield of dryland Chickpea

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of conventional tillage (CT) or no Tillage (NT) systems using three seed rates (40, 80 and 120 kg ha -1 ) of chickpea. Aim of the experiment was to develop management strategy for control of weeds and increase yield of chickpea under rainfed condition. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement having tillage system as main plot and seed rate as sub plot. CT was more effective in controlling weeds, enhancing grain and straw yields as compared with NT. Plots seeded @ 80 kg ha -1 though had higher weeds biomass and lower straw yield as compared with 120 kg ha -1 seed rate, its grain yield was significantly higher than both higher and lower seed rates used in the experiment. Seed rate of 80 kg ha -1 under CT seems to the promising combination for rainfed chickpea.