Effect of plant growth regulators and spacing on growth and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

The present investigation entitled “Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Spacing on Growth and Yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)” was conducted during rabi 2023-24 at Kalaghat Agriculture Farm, MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University, Solan. The soil of experimental field was sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction with EC in safer range, high organic carbon and available phosphorus, medium available nitrogen, and potassium. The field experiment was laid out in Split plot design assigning three row spacing (S1) 15 cm, (S2) 30 cm and (S3) 45 cm in main plot and plant growth regulators in subplot viz. (G0) Control, (G1) NAA @ 40 ppm, (G2) Mepiquat chloride @ 250 ppm and (G3) Chlormequat chloride @ 500 ppm. Thus, a total of 12 treatment combinations were tested in the study and were replicated thrice. Recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (30:60:30 kg ha-1) through urea, SSP and MOP, respectively were applied at the time of sowing as basal dose. The total rainfall experienced during the crop growing season was 209 mm. GPF-2 variety of chickpea was used for sowing. The results concluded that among spacing (S3) 45 cm exerted higher crop growth parameters viz. plant height (cm), number of branches plant-1, dry matter accumulation, number of nodules plant-1 and dry weight of nodules (mg), which was statistically at par with spacing (S2) 30 cm. In case of yield attributes and yield viz. number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, seed index (g) was recorded higher under spacing (S3) 45 cm, while yield kg ha-1 (grain, stover and biological yield), was registered higher in spacing (S2) 30 cm. While in case of plant growth regulators (G1) NAA @ 40 ppm recorded higher crop growth parameters viz. plant height (cm), number of branches plant-1, dry matter accumulation, number of nodules plant-1 and dry weight of nodules (mg), yield attributes and yield viz. number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, seed index (g), yield kg ha-1 (grain, stover and biological yield) over rest of the treatments.