Effect of bio-fertilizer combinations on growth and yield of chickpea (cicer arietinum l.) under gwalior conditions

Introduction

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important rabi pulse crops of India and has a key role in nutritional security, soil fertility improvement and crop diversification. The crop is valued for its protein-rich seed, good digestibility, wide adaptability and ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through symbiosis. In vegetarian diets, chickpea serves as an affordable source of protein, minerals and dietary fibre. Its inclusion in cropping systems also improves soil biological activity and reduces the need for external nitrogen inputs (Jukanti et al., 2012; Directorate of Pulses Development, 2024) [12,4] . In India, chickpea productivity is often lower than its genetic potential because of imbalanced nutrient management, poor soil organic matter, low phosphorus availability, weak nodulation and limited microbial activity in the rhizosphere. The problem is more common in semi-arid regions where soil moisture and nutrient availability frequently limit crop growth. Continuous dependence on inorganic fertilizers alone may not sustain soil health in the long term; therefore, integrated and biological approaches are needed to improve nutrient-use efficiency and crop productivity (Jat and Ahlawat, 2006; Vessey, 2003) [11,29] . Bio-fertilizers are living microbial inoculants that improve nutrient availability and plant growth through biological nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, root stimulation and better rhizosphere activity. Rhizobium is especially important in chickpea because it forms root nodules and fixes atmospheric nitrogen. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria convert insoluble phosphorus into plant-available forms, whereas Trichoderma improves root growth and plant vigour and can also suppress soil-borne pathogens (Richardson and Simpson, 2011; Rudresh et al., 2005; Harman et al., 2004) [20,21,10] . Several studies have reported that the combined application of Rhizobium, PSB and other growth-promoting microorganisms improves plant height, branching, dry matter production, nodulation, yield attributes and seed yield in chickpea (Bahr, 2007; Tanwar et al., 2014; Langade et al., 2020; Kumawat et al., 2021) [2,26,16,15] . However, the efficiency of microbial inoculants varies with soil type, crop variety, native microbial population and local climate. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to assess the effect of different biofertilizer combinations on growth, yield and economics of chickpea under the agro-climatic conditions of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

Materials and Methods Experimental site and soil

The field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2024-25 at the Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Sakatpura, Vikrant University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The experimental site represents semiarid subtropical conditions with cool winter, hot summer and moderate rainfall mainly during the south-west monsoon. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction, low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and high in available potassium. Initial soil properties are presented in Table 1. The experiment was arranged in randomized block design with six treatments and three replications. Chickpea variety G-517 was sown manually at 30 cm × 10 cm spacing. Recommended dose of fertilizers was applied uniformly, and seed treatment with bio-fertilizers was done according to treatment details. The crop was raised using standard agronomic practices including timely thinning, hand weeding, irrigation and need-based plant protection measures.

Treatment

Treatment details T₁ Control + 100% RDF T₂ 100% RDF + Rhizobium @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed T₃ 100% RDF + Trichoderma @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed T₄ 100% RDF + Rhizobium @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed + PSB @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed T₅ 100% RDF + Trichoderma @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed + Rhizobium @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed T₆ 100% RDF + Rhizobium @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed + Trichoderma @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed + PSB @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed

Observations and statistical analysis

Five plants were randomly selected and tagged from each plot for recording growth and yield attributes. Plant population was recorded at 15 DAS and at harvest. Plant height, leaves plant⁻¹, branches plant⁻¹, fresh weight and dry matter accumulation were recorded at different crop growth stages. Number of nodules plant⁻¹ was recorded at 30, 45 and 60 DAS. Yield attributes including pods plant⁻¹, seeds pod⁻¹ and test weight were recorded at harvest. Seed yield and straw yield were obtained from net plot harvest and converted into kg ha⁻¹. Harvest index was calculated using biological yield and seed yield. Economics was worked out using prevailing input and output prices. The data were analyzed statistically as per the standard procedure for randomized block design (Gomez and Gomez, 1984) [9] , and treatment means were compared using critical difference at 5% level of significance wherever the F-test was significant.

Results and Discussion Effect on growth attributes and flowering

Growth attributes improved consistently with the combined use of bio-fertilizers. Plant population did not differ significantly among treatments, which indicated uniform germination and establishment across the plots. However, at harvest, T₆ recorded the highest plant height (59.0 cm), leaves plant⁻¹ (52.0), branches plant⁻¹ (8.9), fresh weight (55.8 g plant⁻¹) and dry matter accumulation (25.85 g plant⁻¹). The lowest values were recorded under T₁, where only RDF without microbial integration was applied. The improvement under T₆ may be attributed to better root activity, nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization and greater nutrient uptake. Similar improvement in vegetative growth of chickpea due to bio-fertilizer inoculation and balanced nutrient supply was reported by Bahr (2007) [2] , Tanwar et al.

(2014) [26] , Ganga et al. (2014) [7] , Langade et al. (2020) [16] and Kumawat et al. (2021) [15] . Days to 50% flowering were reduced with combined bio-fertilizer application. The earliest flowering was recorded under T₆ (52.4 days), followed by T₅ (53.1 days) and T₄ (53.9 days), whereas T₁ recorded delayed flowering (57.1 days). Early flowering under integrated inoculation may be associated with better crop vigour, improved nutrient availability and early transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. The beneficial role of phosphorus and microbial inoculation in reproductive development has also been reported by Singh et al. (2014) [23] , Deepak Kumar (2015) [3] and Langade et al. (2020) [16] .

Effect on nodulation

Nodulation showed a strong response to microbial inoculation. T₆ recorded the maximum number of nodules plant⁻¹ at 30 DAS (34.4), 45 DAS (47.1) and 60 DAS (41.4), followed by T₅ and T₄. The lowest nodulation was observed under T₁ at all stages. The peak nodule number at 45 DAS and the decline at 60 DAS may be due to active symbiotic growth during vegetative phase followed by natural ageing of nodules during reproductive development. The superior nodulation under T₆ confirms the synergistic effect of Rhizobium, PSB and Trichoderma. Rhizobium promotes nodule formation and nitrogen fixation, PSB improves phosphorus availability required for nodular energy metabolism, and Trichoderma supports root growth and rhizosphere health. These results agree with Dubey et al. (2012) [6] , Meena et al. (2013) [19] , Sharma et al. (2014) [22] , Singh et al. (2016) [24] , Verma et al. (2017) [28] , Langade et al. (2020) [16] and Kumawat et al. (2021) [15] . [18] , Singh et al. (2014) [23] , Verma et al. (2016) [27] , Yadav et al. (2018) [30] and Langade et al. (2020) [16] . Seed yield followed the same trend as the yield attributes. T₆ produced the highest seed yield (2280 kg ha⁻¹), straw yield (3390 kg ha⁻¹) and biological yield (5670 kg ha⁻¹), whereas T₁ recorded the lowest seed yield (1545 kg ha⁻¹). The increase in seed yield under T₆ was mainly due to higher nodulation, better plant growth, more pods plant⁻¹, higher seeds pod⁻¹ and improved test weight.

The harvest index varied only slightly among treatments, indicating that the increase in seed yield was accompanied by a proportional increase in straw yield and total biomass. These findings are in close agreement with Singh et al. (2014) [23] , Verma et al. (2016) [27] , Yadav et al. (2018) [30] , Langade et al.

(2020) [16] and Kumawat et al. (2021) [15] , who reported higher chickpea productivity under integrated nutrient and bio-fertilizer management.

Effect on economics

Economic analysis showed that the small additional cost of microbial inoculants was compensated by higher seed and straw yield. The highest cost of cultivation was recorded under T₆ (₹40,800 ha⁻¹), but the same treatment also produced the highest gross return (₹132,180 ha⁻¹), net return (₹91,380 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (3.24). T₅ and T₄ were the next best treatments with B:C ratios of 3.10 and 2.93, respectively. The higher profitability under T₆ was directly associated with better crop growth, higher yield attributes and increased seed yield. Similar economic advantages of bio-fertilizer-based nutrient management have been reported by Ali (2014) [1] , Mallesha (2013) [17] , Verma et al. (2016) [27] , Yadav et al. (2018) [30] and Langade et al. (2020) [16] .

Conclusion

The present study confirmed that integrated use of bio-fertilizers with the recommended dose of fertilizers improved growth, nodulation, yield attributes, yield and economic returns of chickpea under the sandy loam soil conditions of Gwalior. Among the treatments, T₆, comprising 100% RDF + Rhizobium @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed + Trichoderma @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed + PSB @ 20 g kg⁻¹ seed, proved superior for most of the growth and yield parameters. This treatment recorded the highest seed yield (2280 kg ha⁻¹), net return (₹91,380 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (3.24).

On the basis of one-season field results, combined inoculation of Rhizobium, Trichoderma and PSB with 100% RDF may be recommended as an effective and economical nutrient management practice for improving chickpea productivity under similar agro-climatic conditions. Multi-season testing may further strengthen the recommendation for wider adoption.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors acknowledge the School of Agriculture Science, Vikrant University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, for providing field and laboratory facilities to conduct the experiment.

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