Effect of Iron-Based Seed Pretreatment on the Physiological, Agronomic, and Quality Parameters of Chickpea Grains under Various Environmental Conditions (Cicer arietinum L. cv. Azkan)

Iron deficiency is one of the major nutritional constraints limiting chickpea productivity, particularly in calcareous soils where iron availability is restricted. Although soil and foliar iron fertilization are commonly used to alleviate iron deficiency, these approaches are often costly and their efficiency may vary under field conditions. Therefore, alternative strategies that improve iron use efficiency during early plant development are needed. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different iron seed priming doses, with and without Mesorhizobium ciceri inoculation, on germination, seedling growth, nodulation, yield components, seed yield, and protein content of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. Azkan). Laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments were conducted in 2021 using Completely Randomized and Randomized Complete Block Designs with three replications. Seeds were subjected to hydropriming or six iron concentrations (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 ppm). Iron seed priming significantly affected most of the evaluated characteristics. Low iron doses, particularly 3 ppm, consistently improved germination performance, early seedling growth, nodulation, and yield-related traits, whereas iron doses of 12 ppm and above generally reduced plant performance despite increasing seed protein content. Rhizobial inoculation further enhanced several agronomic characteristics, especially nodulation and seed yield. Overall, the findings indicate that low-dose iron seed priming is an effective and practical strategy for improving chickpea establishment and productivity, whereas excessive iron application may adversely affect plant performance. Further multi-year and multi-location studies are recommended to confirm the stability of these responses under diverse environmental conditions.