GROWTH AND YIELD VARIATIONS IN CHICKPEA AS INFLUENCED BY PLANTING GEOMETRY

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy field laboratory of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during November, 2015 to April, 2016 in rabi season with a view to study the growth and yield variations in chickpea as influenced by planting geometry. The experiment was carried out in split plot design considering three variety’s i.e. BARI Chola-5, BARI Chola-6 and BARI Chola-9 in the main plot and five spacing viz. Sp 1 = 40 cm × 10 cm, Sp 2 = 30 cm × 30 cm, Sp 3 = 40 cm × 40 cm, Sp 4 = 50 cm × 50 cm and Sp 5 = 60 cm × 60 cm. The recommended dose of N, P 2 O 5 , K 2 O, B at the rate of 20, 40, 20, 1 kg ha -1 , respectively were added to the soil of experimental field. Results indicated that among the varieties BARI Chola-5 performed well and gave maximum number of branches plant (46.93), leaves plant -1 (344.8), above ground dry weight plant -1 (22.92 g), pods plant (50.43), seed yield (0.78 t ha -1 ); stover yield (1.09 t ha -1 ) and biological yield (1.87 t ha ). In case of different spacing treatment 40 cm × 40 cm gave maximum branches plant (49.62), leaves plant -1 (353.6), above ground dry weight plant -1 -1 -1 (24.06 g), pods plant (47.49). Wider spacing had 33.67 % and 54.14 % value advantages over low yielder spacing regarding above ground dry weight plant -1 and pods plant -1 -1 -1 -1 . Narrower spacing (40 cm × 10 cm) gave more yield than wider spacing due to more number of plants per unit area. In combination treatment BARI Chola-5 along with spacing of 40 cm × 40 cm gave maximum branches plant -1 (60.22), leaves plant -1 (450.2), above ground dry weight plant -1 (26.89 g), pods plant -1 (66.00). Seed yield (1.82 t ha ) was recorded maximum from treatment BARI Chola-5 combined with 40 cm × 10 cm and the minimum 0.23 t ha -1 with BARI Chola-6 combined with 60 cm × 60 cm. From the results of present study it can be concluded that wider spacing influenced individual plant with vigorous growth and development but failed to show optimum seed yield due to lower number of plant per unit area.