Effect of Super Nano Urea Plus on Plant Growth, Growth Evaluating Parameters and Yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

Chickpea is an important cool-season pulse crop valued for its high protein content and major contribution to global food security, particularly in India, which is the largest producer. Nitrogen plays a key role in plant growth and productivity; however, conventional fertiliser use often suffers from low nutrient use efficiency. In this context, nano-form fertilisers such as Super Nano Urea Plus have emerged as a promising approach to enhance nutrient availability, improve uptake efficiency, and potentially increase crop productivity under field conditions. A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2024–25 at the Research Farm, R. A. K. College of Agriculture, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, to evaluate the Effect of Super Nano Urea Plus on plant growth, growth evaluating parameters and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The study involved ten treatments in R.B.D design with three replications. Results indicated that while plant population remained unaffected by treatments, significant improvement in plant height, root length, branches per plant, nodule number and weight, fresh and dry biomass, and chlorophyll content was observed with nutrient application, particularly under NUP-S treatments. The highest leaf area index (0.91) and chlorophyll content at 70 DAS (62.53) were recorded in T9 (75% RDN + 100% RDP + 100% RDK + 2 sprays of NUP-S @ 0.7%).  Achieved the highest seed yield (2653.93 kg ha-1) and biological yield (7.72 t ha-1), with a harvest index of 0.41 in T8 (75% RDN + 100% RDP + 100% RDK + 1 spray of NUP-S @ 0.7%). The study concludes that the application of 75% RDN + 100% RDP + 100% RDK with one foliar spray of Super Nano Urea Plus @ 0.7% at critical growth stages is an efficient and economically viable practice for enhancing chickpea productivity under the agro-climatic conditions.