Evaluation the effects of sowing date and plant population on morphological characteristics and yield of chickpea (Cicer arientinum L.) and its weed population under dryland condition of Lorestan province

Document Type : Research Article

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effects of sowing date, crop density and weed interference on chickpea growth and yield, and also on weed population in dryland farming system of Lorestan province, a field experiment was conducted during 2005-2006 based on a randomized complete block design, with four replications. Treatments included planting dates (autumn and winter), plant population densities (25, 50 and 75 plants m-2) and weed interference (hand weeding and weedy check). Based on the results and fitted curves, leaf-dry-weight plant-1 and leaf-dry-weight m-2 in autumn chickpea were higher than winter chickpea,. Maximum leaf-dry-weight plant-1 and m-2 was achieved at 25 and 75 plant m-2, respectively. Mean chickpea grain yields were 1114 kg/ha, and 561 kg/ha for autumn and winter crop respectively. Weed control (hand weeding) significantly increased leaf-dry-weight of single plant, chickpea biomass, and grain yield. Although weed density in autumn sowing date was approximately three times more than the winter crops, but chickpea grain yield per area in autumn crop was about two times higher than winter crop. The maximum annual weed biomass were observed in autumn sowing
date with 25 plants m-2 in weedy check, and minimum biomass was in winter chickpea wuth 75 plants m-2 with weeding. The species richness in autumn chickpea was 71% higher than winter crop. Weed control caused 58.4% increase in grain yield. The highest chickpea grain yield was harvested in autumn crop with plant density of 50 plant m-2 and hand-weeding treatment.

20.1001.1.20081472.1388.7.1.24.2

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