Effect of biofertilizer and micronutrients on the growth of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.)

A field experiment was carried out in the Rabi seasons 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Agronomy Research Farm, CSA University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, to investigate the influence of integrated nutrient management (INM) on the growth of chickpea. The treatments consisted of three fertility levels: 100 % RDF (20:60:20 NPK kg/ha), 50 % RDF + vermicompost (2.5 t/ha) and 50 % RDF + FYM (5 t/ha), along with seven micronutrient and biofertilizer treatments, i.e., control, PSB, Zn, B, PSB+Zn, PSB+B and PSB+Zn+B. Growth characteristics like plant population, root length, number of primary, secondary and tertiary branches and fresh and dry biomass were noted at 60 DAS and harvest. Treatment with 100 % RDF yielded very high values of plant population, root development, branch development and biomass than integrated organic treatment. Among organic amendments, 50 % RDF + vermicompost gave higher growth than 50 % RDF + FYM, which confirms the efficacy of vermicompost in promoting growth when supplemented with inorganic fertilizers. Micronutrient management greatly contributed and PSB + Zn + B (M7) was the most optimal treatment, followed by PSB + B (M6). The control registered the lowest growth values. In general, balanced fertilization by 100 % RDF (together with appropriate micronutrient management, especially M7) was most effective in enhancing chickpea growth, resource-use efficiency and sustainability under the Indo-Gangetic plains.