Yield and yield components of chickpea as affected by various levels of FYM and rhizobium inoculation

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan during winter 2015 in a simple randomized complete block design (RCBD) having three replications. Farmyard manure (FYM) application at four levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 ton ha) with variety (Inoculated and non-inoculated) were included in experiment. FYM application at the rate of 15 ton ha resulted in higher grain yield (2198.53 kg ha) as compared to control (1762.68 kg ha). Similarly inoculated seeds produced higher grain yield (2083.06 kg ha) as compared to non-inoculated seeds (1915.92 kg ha). The pods plant and thousand grain weight were significantly affected by FYM and inoculation while grains podwas significantly affected by only FYM. The grains were more pod in plots supplied with 15 tons FYM ha while less number of grains pod (1.48) resulted in control plots. Plants formed more pods (63.68) and maximum thousand grain weight (260.21 g) was calculated in plots treated with FYM at the rate of 15 ton ha as compared to other levels. In the same way more pods plant (58.44) and thousand grain weight (241.65 g) was observed in plots with inoculated seed sown. Hence application of FYM at the rate of 15 ton ha and inoculation of seeds with rhizobium strains is recommended for better yield of chick pea.


Introduction
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important winter pulse crop.It belongs to genus Cicer and family Fabaceae."Cicer" is of Latin origin and the derivative of the Greek word 'kikus' meaning force or strength [1].The word "arietinum" is also of Latin origin.It is equivalent to Greek word 'krios' used for chickpea [2].In grain legumes, it is ranked third after bean and soyabean growing in the world.The chickpea has agronomical significance because of its high protein content (approx.19.3-25.4%).It is used for the human and animal's diet.It is the alternative protein source.It originated in south-eastern Turkey [3].The archaeological evidences show that earliest domestication of chickpea occurred in Middle East and Indo-Pak sub-continent.Chickpea is classified into two classes morphologically; kabuli and desi.Kabuli type is distinguished by large leaflets, white flowers, medium to tall (up to 1m) height, large, round and cream colour seeds.This type lack anthocyanin pigmentation.While desi type has small angular shaped seeds varying from black, brown, yellow to green.Plants are short with small leaflets, purplish flowers and also contain anthocyanin pigmentation [4,5].Chickpea seeds are consumed fresh as green vegetables, fried, roasted and boiled.Seeds are ground and the flour can be used as soup and to make bread [6].It is also used as fodder for livestock.In world, Pakistan ranked second (842 thousand tonnes) in the production of chickpea after India (5970 thousand tonnes) [7].In total cropped area of Pakistan, 7% area is under the cultivation of pulses; 73% is under chickpea cultivation.Its production in Pakistan was 496 thousand tones.It was cultivated on 1055 thousand ha.The average yield was 471kg ha -1 [7].In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the production was 21 thousand tons.It was cultivated on an area of 37.6 thousand ha with an average yield of 532kg ha -1 [8].In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chickpea cultivation concerning 75% occurs in rainfed areas.Plants need amino acid to form proteins.Nitrogen (N) is a key element for the production of amino acids.Nitrogen also helps in plant metabolism.Atmospheric nitrogen is not utilized by plants.Plants utilize it in ionic form either nitrate (NO3 -) or ammonium (NH4 + ).The productivity of cropping system can be sustained by chickpea due to the reason that it fix atmospheric nitrogen.Chickpea root system have specialized structures called nodules where Rhizobium inhabits.Rhizobium has the capability to fix atmospheric nitrogen to plants usable form.It is called biological nitrogen fixation (BNF).The N fixed through BNF is utilized by both crops; the present crop and the subsequent crop [9].The maximum N fixation depends upon the cultivar, nodules number and the competent strain of the Rhizobia existing in the root nodules.The actual yield of chickpea is very low in field conditions.It is due to minimum or unavailability of good quality seeds, lack of effective Rhizobial strain and severe injury caused by the attack of pod borer and blight.In addition, the soil of Pakistan is generally deficient in N; as its involvement is essential for plant metabolism and protein synthesis.

Materials and methods
The present study was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar during the cropping season 2014-15.Chickpea variety (karak-03) was evaluated under inoculated and uninoculated conditions subjected to four different farmyard manure levels.The experiment was plotted in RCB Design with four replications.Each Variety was planted in six rows of 3 m in length.Row-row distance was 30 cm and plant-plant was 10cm.All recommended practices and inputs were homogeneously applied to each experimental unit.Factor "A" FYM (0, 5, 10, 15tons ha -1 ) Factor "B" Rhizobium inoculated seeds and uninoculated seeds.The below parameters were evaluated as; Number of pods plant -1 Pods were taken from randomly selected plants and counted separately after harvesting.The data on pods of all the selected plants were added and then found its average.

Number of grains pod -1
The total number of grains in each pod were counted from ten randomly selected pods from indiscriminately chosen plants and then averaged.

Thousand grains weight (g)
A sample of thousand grains was taken from the unvaryingly selected plants and was weighed on a balance to record its mass in grams.

Grain yield (kg ha -1 )
Grain yield was recorded from randomly selected area of an m 2 and then converted to hectare.
Grain yield (kgha -1 ) = Grain yield x 10000 Row-row distance x Row length x No. of rows

Statistical analysis
Data was analysed by using statistical package 'Statistix 8.1'.

Results and discussion
Pods plant -1 Data regarding pods plant -1 is expressed in Table 1.From analysis it was concluded that the response of farmyard manure (FYM) and inoculation were statistically significant.Farm yard manure applied at the rate of 15tons ha -1 gave more number of podsplant -1 (63.68) in response to control in which the pods plant -1 decreased (52.72).Similarly inoculated variety formed more pods plant -1 (58.44) than non-inoculated variety which was less in number (55.14)

Grains pod -1
Results of the data pertaining grains pod -1 (Table 2) showed the significant response of FYM.The inoculation and non-inoculation of variety and the interaction between them have no significant effect in statistical way.The submission of FYM at the rate of 15tons ha -1 to the plots resulted in increasing the grains number pod -1 (2.26) whereas control plot having no FYM gave fewer number of grains pod -1 (1.48).These results stated that with each increment in FYM the number of grains pod -1 increases due to more pronounced growth of the plant because FYM release nutrient specially nitrogen that enhances above ground plant growth [16].Grain yield (kg ha -1 ) According to the statistical analysis of data, application of FYM and varietal inoculation and non-inoculation had a significant effect on grain yield (Table 4).The interaction among them was of no significant value.Lofty grain yield (2198.53 kg ha -1 ) was observed by FYM application at the rate of 15 tons ha -1 while the control plot gave lower grain yield (1762.68 kg ha -1 ).These results are in harmony with those of [18, 19] they observed positive effect of FYM application on yield of chickpea.The inoculated variety produced more grain yield (2083.06 kg ha -1 ) as compared to noninoculated variety (1915.92kg ha -1 ).Our results are supported by [20] in which inoculation improved grain yield in chick pea.
Nitrogen deficiency in soil usually reduces crop yield.Inoculation of chickpea seeds by artificial means in such soils which are deficient in native effective Rhizobia is a very useful practice for improving root nodulation and yield of the crop [10].Increasing and extending the role of biofertilizers such as Rhizobium can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and decrease adverse environmental effects.As legume, chickpea can obtain a significant portion (4-85%) of its N requirement through symbiotic N2 fixation when grown in association with effective and compatible Rhizobium strains [11-13].Chickpea and Rhizobium leguminosarum sub spp.Ciceri association annually produces up to 176 kg N ha -1 depending on cultivar, bacterial strain and environmental factors [14].

Table 4 . Grain yield of chick pea as affected by farm yard manure and inoculation Farmyard manure (kg ha -1 ) inoculation
Means followed by different letters in the same category are significantly different using LSD test (P<0.05)LSD value for FYM = 175.005LSD value for Inoculation = 123.74