Effects of Different Seedbed Preparation on Some Phenological Characteristics and Weed Count in Chickpea

This research was conducted under dry farming conditions in the Research and Application Farm fields of the Central Research Institute for Field Crops Directorate (TARM) in 2020 and 2021. The study investigated the effects of three different tillage methods [traditional tillage (T1), conservation tillage (T2), and no-till (T3)] and four different fertilizer applications [no fertilizer (G0), DAP (G1), 20-20-0 conventional compound fertilizer (G2), and 15-20-0 organomineral fertilizer (G3)] on emergence days, flowering days, harvest maturity, plant density per square meter, weed population, and soil moisture content in chickpea cultivation. According to tillage methods, the results for the first and second years were as follows: Days to emergence ranged from 22 to 37 and from 15 to 20, respectively. Days to flowering ranged from 44 to 53 and from 59 to 63. Days to harvest maturity varied between 113 and 117 days and 107 and108 days. Plant density per square meter ranged from 16.67 to37.3 and from 24.82 to 30.60 plants.Weed population ranged from 18.37 to43.95 weeds m-² and from 11.56 to34.44 weeds m-². Soil moisture content ranged from 14.99% to 16.87% and from 12.55% to 14.17%. It was determined that the basal fertilization (Nitrogen) and non-fertilized production models did not significantly affect days to emergence, days to flowering, harvest maturity, weed population, and soil moisture content in either year of the study.