12. Effect of rhizobium inoculation on morphological and yield contributing traits in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

Abstract

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To evaluate the effect of rhizobium inoculation on morphological and yield contributing traits in chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.) cultivars under inoculated and non-inoculated production systems during 2011-12 at The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. Randomized complete block design were used with three replications. The Genotype × Environment interaction values for seed yield plant^-1ranged from 5.73 g to 15.86 g attained by genotypes NKC-5-S-17 and NDC-5-S-11, respectively. Genotype NDC-5-S-11 displayed highest values for seeds plant^-1 (63.67), and harvest index (39.59%) in inoculated conditions. The same genotype (NDC-5-S-11) outshined for yield (14.67 g) and yield associated traits under non-inoculated production system as well as it exhibited maximum seed yield plant^-1 (15.27 g) and largest harvest index across both environments. However, genotype NKC-5-S-24 exhibited minimum days to 50% flowering (124.83 days) and maximum nodules plant^-1 across both environments. Highest plant height (66.83 cm) across both systems was showed by NKC-5-S-15 and NKC-5-S-21. Genotype NKC-5-S-14 took minimum days (168.5 days) to mature. Yield plant^-1 showed highly significant and positive correlation with pods plant^-1(r_i = 0.729) (r_n = 0.824), seeds plant^-1 (r_i = 0.862) (r_n = 0.865) and harvest index (r_i = 0.885) (r_n = 0.828) under inoculated (r_i) and non-inoculated (r_n) environments. Therefore, pods plant^-1, seed plant^-1 and harvest index can be exploited as indirect selection criteria for selecting high yielding chickpea genotypes. NDC-5-S-11 performed better for yield and yield associated traits across the two environments, moreover its performance under inoculated environment was more prominent, therefore, this genotype can be used in future breeding programs and is recommended for crop rotation program to get maximum yield.

Keywords: Biozote Thal-08; Chickpea; Correlation; Rhizobium inoculation

http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2018.700168