Response of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) to Farm Yard Manure Application and Rhizobium Inoculation.

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), an important source of protein, is well adapted to soils of low fertility which can be improved by the application of farmyard manure (FYM) and effective rhizobium strains which are cost-effective fertilizers for poor resources farmers. To determine the optimum level of FYM and select compatible rhizobia strains for maximum yield of chickpeas, a field experiment was conducted at Goladjo Research Center, Fafan, Ethiopia during the main rainy season of 2022. The experiment consisted of four rhizobia strains (CP0 (control), CP1, CP2, and CP3) and three FYM levels (0, 5, and 10 t ℎ????−1) which were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Results indicated that rhizobia strains did not affect nodule formation which could be due to the chickpea genotype, used in this experiment, failure to produce nodules or failure of the strains to adapt experimental environment
and soil, thus they had no significant effect on all parameters except on pod bearing branches. FYM significantly affected days to flowering, pod-bearing branches per plant, pod per plant, seed per pod, grain yield, total biomass, and harvest index. The 5 t FYM ℎ????−1 treatment shortened the days to flowering as compared with the control and 10FYM t ℎ????−1. The highest branches per plant (7.13), pod per plant (20.96), seed per pod (1.21), grain yield (2090. 6 kg ℎ????−1), biomass (3670.8 kg ℎ????−1), and harvest index (0.58) were recorded with the level of 5t FYM ℎ????−1. The 5t FYM ℎ????−1 treatment increased the grain yield by 31.88% as compared with the control. Based on the economic analysis, the maximum net benefit (75,522 ETB ℎ????−1) and the highest marginal rate of return (23.66%) were also found with a level of 5 t FYMℎ????−1. Therefore, a level of 5 t FYMℎ????−1 is recommended for chickpea production in a test area.