Response of chickpea varieties to irrigation at critical growth stages under middle Gujarat condition

Introduction

Chickpea is the most important pulse crop cultivated in rabi season in Gujarat covering total area 8.50 lakh hectares and 15.64 lakh hectares tones production of the state with 1841 kg/ ha productivity (Annon., 2024-25) [2] . In Gujarat, ground water is one of important source of irrigation. Through wells, it is utilized for irrigation purpose during rabi season as supplementary. Water in the wells is limited; hence it is necessary to utilize the limited water resources judiciously so that the maximum area of rabi pulses can be brought under irrigation. Applying minimum irrigation water at the critical growth stages, the yield of Rabi pulse like gram can be increased, for determining the water requirement of crops it is necessary to study the different approaches of scheduling of irrigation and application of irrigation at critical growth stages is one of practical approach of scheduling irrigation. Singh et al. (2006) [7] reported that the two irrigations at pre flowering and pod development stages gave more seed yield over no irrigation and single irrigation at pre flowering stage. Krishnamurthy and Steeramulu (2007) [4] observed the highest seed yield and yield contributing characters of chickpea when crop was irrigated at flowering stage and pod formation stage. Now a days we are facing some unfavorable environmental changes such as irregular and unevenly distributed rainfall, very hot summer, very cold winter, floods, storms, droughts, etc. which are greatly effecting crop production. Keeping above in view a field experiment was conducted to find out the "response of chickpea varieties to irrigation at critical growth stages".

Materials and methods

The field experiment was carried out to study the "Response of chickpea varieties to irrigation at critical growth stages". The experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Derol, Dist: Panchmahals, Gujarat, India during rabi seasons of the year (2019-20 and 2020-21). The plot size was 3.6 x 5.0 m. Treatments for chickpea varieties to irrigation at critical growth stages was studied in split plot design (SPD) with four replications Main plot (Irrigation Levels): I 0: Pre sowing irrigation, I 1: I 0 + Irrigation at branching + pod development stage, I 2: I 0 + Irrigation at flowering + pod development stage and I 3: I 0 + Irrigation at branching, flowering and pod development stage and Sub plot (Varieties): V 1: GJG 3, V 2: GJG 6 and V 3: GG 5. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture having low in nitrogen, medium in phosphorus and high in potassium. All the recommended agronomic practices were followed for raising the crop during experimentation. The observations on growth and yield attributes were recorded. Protein content was recorded after harvest analyzed from replicated sample.

Results and Discussion

The results of two years experimental findings on "response of chickpea varieties to irrigation at critical growth stages" have been discussed under following different heads.

Effect of irrigation levels and varieties

Significantly higher plant height was recorded in treatment I 3: I 0 + Irrigation at branching, flowering and pod development stage, but it was at par with treatments I 2 and I 1 in both the year as well as pooled. Significantly higher plant height was recorded in variety V 3 GG 5 in first year and pooled, while second year at par with variety V 1: GJG 3. Similar result was observed by Lende and Patil (2017) [5] and Aditi et al. (2022) [1] . More number of branches per plant was recorded I 3: I 0 + Irrigation at flowering + pod development stage statistically at par with I 3 and I 1. in both the year as well as pooled. Similar result was observed by Aditi et al. (2022) [1] . Patel et al. (2016) [6] also reported that, two irrigations at branching and pod-development stages in chickpea resulted in higher growth attributes over single irrigation at either stage. More number of branches per plant was recorded in variety V 2: GJG 6 statistically at par with variety V 3: GG 5 in both the year as well as pooled. More number of pods per plant was recorded I 1: I 0 + Irrigation at branching + pod development stage statistically at par with I 3 and I 2 in both the year but I 3 in pooled. Similar result was observed by Aditi et al. (2022) [1] and Krishnamurthy and Steeramulu (2007) [4] . More number of pods per plant was recorded significantly in variety V 3: GG 5 in pooled, but both year are unaffected. More number of seeds per pod was recorded I 1: I 0 + Irrigation at branching + pod development stage statistically at par with I 2 and I 3 in both the year, but I 3 in pooled. Number of seeds per pod was unaffected in varieties in both the year as well as pooled. Days to 50% flowering and maturity was significantly influenced due to different treatments in irrigation levels and varieties for both the year as well as pooled. Highest seed index (g) was found in I 1: I 0 + Irrigation at branching + pod development stage statistically at par with I 3 and I 2 in both the year as well as pooled. The highest seed index (g) was found in variety V 2: GJG 6 statistically at par with variety V 1: GJG 3 in both the year as well as pooled. Treatment I 1: I 0 + Irrigation at branching + pod development stage recorded significantly higher seed yield 1966, 2009 and 1988 kg/ha, but it was at par with treatments I 3 and I 2 in first year, second year and pooled. Lende and Patil (2017) [5] was observed irrigation scheduling at branching and pod development stage recorded significantly more grain yield. Singh et al. (2006) [7] and Krishnamurthy and Steeramulu (2007) [4] also observed the highest seed yield of chickpea when irrigated at flowering and pod formation stage. Similar result was observed by Thomas et al. (2010) [8] and Aditi et al. (2022) [1] . Seed yield was unaffected in varieties for first year and pooled, but second year significantly higher seed yield 1844 kg/ha, was recorded in variety V 3: GG 5. Treatment I 1: I 0 + Irrigation at branching + pod development stage recorded significantly higher haulm yield 2401, 2379 and 2390 kg/ha, but it was at par with treatments I 3 and I 2 in first year, second year and pooled. In varieties haulm yield was unaffected during first year, second year found significantly higher haulm yield 2280 kg/ha, was recorded in variety V 3: GG 5 at par with V 1: GJG 3, and pooled also significantly higher haulm yield 2278 kg/ha, was recorded in variety V 3: GG 5. Chourasiya et al. (2016) [3] found that, irrigation in chickpea at branching and poddevelopment stages enhanced seed yield and straw yield significantly over single irrigations at either stage owing to availability of moisture at critical stages which favorably impacted yield attributes and ultimately the yield.

Interaction effects of irrigation levels and varieties

The interaction effects between irrigation levels and varieties with respect to growth and yield attributes was found nonsignificant, Except number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, days to maturity and seed index. The interaction effects between year, year and irrigation, year and varieties, year and irrigation and varieties with respect to growth and yield attributes was found non-significant

Protein content

The results revealed non-significant differences for protein content recorded at harvest due to different treatments in during the year 2020-21.

Economics

The economics of various treatments, treatment I 1: I 0 + Irrigation at branching + pod development stage registered the highest net return of `75432/ha with BCR 3.28. Followed by profitable treatments I 2: I 0 + Irrigation at flowering + pod development stage with BCR 3.08. Similar result was observed by Chourasiya et al. (2016) [3] , Lende and Patil (2017) [5] and Aditi et al. (2022) [1] .

Conclusion

The farmers of Middle Gujarat Agro-climatic Zone growing chickpea are recommended to apply three irrigations, first at the time of sowing and remaining two irrigations at branching or at flowering stage and pod development stage for obtaining higher yield and net return.

References

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