Effect of Spacing and Biofertilizers on Growth and Yield of Chickpea

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted during rabi 2022-23, at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P). The soil of the experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 6.9), low in organic carbon (0.32%), available N (283.93 kg/ha), available P (18.3 kg/ha) and available K (223.5 kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with ten treatments viz. T1: Spacing 20 cm x 15 cm + Uninoculated, T2: Spacing 20 cm x 15 cm + Rhizobium, T3: Spacing 20 cm x 15 cm + PSB, T4: Spacing 30 cm x 10 cm + Uninoculated, T5: Spacing 30 cm x 10 cm + Rhizobium, T6: Spacing 30 cmx 10 cm + PSB, T7: Spacing 40 cm x 10 cm + Uninoculated, T8: Spacing 40 cm x 10 cm + Rhizobium, T9: Spacing 40 cm x 10 cm + PSB and T10: Control: 100% RDF each replicated thrice. The results of the experiment obtained that application of Rhizobium (20 g/kg seeds) along with the Spacing 30cmx10cm significantly increased the growth parameters viz. plant height (46.79 cm), number of nodules (31.93/plant), plant dry weight (22.11 g/plant) and yield parameters viz. number of pods per plant (36.80), seed index (22.15 g), seed yield (3.44 t/ha) and stover yield (4.28 t/ha). This treatment also showed its positive effect on economics viz. gross returns (1,71,834 INR/ha), net returns (1,24,486 INR/ha), B:C (2.63). As the majority of Indian farmers are marginal and poor who cannot afford the use of high cost fertilizers with the result that crops are exposed to nutritional constraints. In such conditions biofertilizers can play an important role in contributing towards soil health and crop productivity. Biofertilizers are a cost effective renewable energy source that plays a crucial role in reducing inorganic fertilizer application and at the same increasing crop yield besides maintaining soil fertility. The optimum spacing for any crop means maintaining uniform and healthy crop stand so as to get optimum yield of crop. The growth and yield of crop is closely related to number of plants per unit area.