Effects of supplemental irrigation and crop density on yield, and yield components of Kabuli chickpea cultivars

Document Type : Research Article

Abstract

In order to study the effect of plant density and supplemental irrigation on yield، yield components، and light interception canopy of three chickpea varieties in dry farming condition، an experiment was conducted in Khoramabad Agricultural Research Station during 2005. The experimental design was split split plot laid out RCBD with four replications. Three dry farming levels (rainfed، dry farming supplemental irrigation at 50% flowering stage and dry farming supplemental irrigation at during filling pods period)، three varieties (Azad، Arman and Greet) and four plant density (30، 42، 54، 66 plants/m2) were randomized to the main plot، sub plot and sub-sub plot units respectively. The results showed that supplemental irrigation lead to increased biological yield (49%), grain yield (54%)، plant pod number (43%), and canopy light interception (55%) in comparison to rainfed condition. The most grain yield (1388 kg/ha) and biological yield (3823 kg/ha) were obtained from crop density of 66 plants/m2. Chickpea canopy light interception increased as crop density increased; lowest light transition was related to crop densities of 54 and 66 plants/m2.

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