EFFECTS OF INOCULATION OF Sinorhizobium ciceri and PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER RATES ON NODULATION, YIELD COMPONENTS AND YIELD OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) VARITIES AT HARAMAYA, EAST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at Haramaya University, eastern Ethiopia in 2019 main cropping season, to assess the response of chickpea varieties to Rhizobium and P fertilizer rate. The study was conducted to assess the effect of phosphorus fertilizers and Sinorhizobium ciceri inoculation, on growth, nodulation, yield components and yield of chickpea varieties at Haramaya, East Ethiopia and to evaluate the cost -benefit of inoculation and phosphorus fertilizer for chickpea production. Three chickpea varieties Dubie Ejere and Teketay), four rates of phosphorus (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg of P ha-1) with and without inoculation were tested in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in factorial arrangement with three replication. Analysis of variances indicated a statistical differences (P<0.05) for most of the parameters studied namely days to 50% emergency, 50% flowering, 90% physiological maturity, primary branches, secondary branches, total number of nodules, effective nodule number, dry weight of total nodule, dry weight of effective nodule, total number of pods, number of seeds per pod, seed yield (kg per ha), harvest index and above ground weight. The shorter days to 50% emergency was recorded by interaction of Teketay variety supplied with 100kg P rates with and without Rhizobium bacteria (7.33days) and (7.67 days) respectively. Moreover, shorter days to 50% flowering was recorded by Interaction effects of Teketay variety, 100kg P ha -1, 150kg P and 50 kg P with rhizobium resulted shorter days to flowering (42.33 days, 47 days and 49.67 days) respectively. Teketay variety was found higher plant height (55.17cm) followed by Ejere variety (53.50cm) while Dubie variety height was 45.42cm. Similarly, the higher plant height recorded for the interaction of Teketay variety inoculated with rhizobium and with 150 kg per ha (60.67cm) and 100kg per ha (57.33cm) respectively. Ejere variety produced the highest number (4.625) of primary branches followed by Dubie (4.43) and Teketay (4.45) respectively. Inoculation of chickpea seed with Rhizobium inoculants enhanced the number of primary branches per plant from 4.31 to 4.69. Teketay variety produced the highest number (15.80) of secondary branches followed by variety Ejere (15.08). Teketay variety resulted in higher number of total nodules (80.42), effective number of nodule (75.52), dry weight of total nodule (0.26g) and dry weight of effective of nodule (0.14g) per plant respectively. . The maximum number of pod per plant was recorded from Teketay variety (108.3) followed by Ejere variety (90.2) and the Dubie variety (56.4).Inoculation of chickpea seed with Rhizobium inoculants enhanced the number of seeds per pod from 1.733 to 1.926. Moreover, the maximum number (2.00) of seeds per pod was recorded from seeds inoculated with Rhizobium inoculants and fertilizer rates of 150 kg P ha-1 followed by 100 Kg P ha-1(1.972). The maximum hundred seed weight was recorded under Teketay variety (35.06 g) followed by Ejere variety (32.85). The maximum seed yield was recorded with Teketay variety inoculated with rhizobium inoculants supplied with 150kg P per ha (3574kg per ha) followed by same variety supplied with 150 kg per ha without inoculants (3444kg per ha). The results indicated that the integrated use of chemical fertilizers and Rhizobium inoculants increase the growth, yield and yield parameters due to biological nitrogen fixation. Inoculation of Sinorhizobium cicerand P rate of 150 kg perh could be recommended for Haramaya soils to maximize yield.