THE ROLE OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS BIOFERTILIZERS IN THE UPTAKE OF SOME NUTRIENTS AND GROWTH OF CHICKPEAS (CICER ARIETINUM L)

This study examined the effect of co-inoculating phosphorus- solubilizing and nitrogen-fixing bacteria on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) growth and nutrient intake at various phosphorus levels. Rock phosphate was used as a source of phosphorus. The experiment was conducted from the November 2021 to March 2022 growing season at the Bakrajo Horticulture Department of the College of Agricultural Engineering Science, University of Sulaimani. With three replications for each treatment, the experiment was carried out in silty clay soil using a completed randomized design (CRD). After five months the plants were measured for their height and chlorophyll intensity. The chickpea plants exhibited significantly greater plant height, chlorophyll intensity, nodule numbers, root dry weight, and shoot dry weight from the treatments. The highest values were 78.00 cm, 76 SPAD, 77.00 g, 6.00 g, and 14.34 g, respectively compared to the control group. The highest values for chickpea shoot N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn content were 26.00 g kg-1, 11.36 g kg-1, 26.00 g kg-1, 445.33 μgg-1, 46.25 μgg-1, and 41 μgg-1, respectively, observed at p levels of 160 kg P ha-1. Additionally, Rhizobium leguminosarum inoculation alone increased plant height, chlorophyll intensity, number of nodules, root and shoot dry weights of the chickpea plants but less than with co-inoculation. Compared to the control, inoculation with Pseudomonas putida had the least significant increase in plant height, chlorophyll intensity, nodule number, root dry weight, and shoot dry weight. The corresponding values were 62.33 cm, 43.30 SPADS, 51.00, 3.98 g, and 10.40 g at the highest P levels. On the other hand, they decreased at the greatest p-values. The nutrients N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn for chickpea shoots had the highest values at 18.60 g kg-1, 10.00 g kg-1, 17.63 g kg-1, 298.00 μgg-1, 34, 76 μgg-1, and 18 μgg-1, respectively.