Performance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) under different land configurations, irrigation methods and schedules in sandy-loam soil

Abstract

A field study was carried out during the winter (rabi) season of 2017–18 at the Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, to study the effect of different land configurations, irrigation methods and schedules on growth, yield and economics of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The results revealed that at maturity stage, plant height, branches/plant and 100-grain weight increased significantly in raised bed over flat-bed method of sowing. Plant dry-matter, pods/plant, grain weight/plant, grain and straw yields and net return and benefit: cost (B : C) ratio did not differ significantly due to land configuration treatment. Sprinkler irrigation resulted significant increase in growth characters (plant height, branches/plant and total plant dry-matter accumulation) and yield attributes (pods/plant, 100-grain weight and grain weight/plant), grain and straw yields and net return and B : C ratio as compared to check basin irrigation. Combination of sprinkler irrigation method and flat-bed sowing resulted in the highest grain yield (1,325 kg/ha). Under check basin irrigation, raised bed provided 7.8% higher grain yield than flat-bed method of sowing (1,083 kg/ha). Two irrigations at vegetative and pod-development stages resulted in significantly higher plant height, branches/plant, total dry-matter accumulation/plant, pods/ plant, grain weight/plant, grain yield and higher net returns and B : C ratio than single irrigation at either stage.