Effect of seed priming on growth and seed yield in kabuli chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties

Abstract

The field experiment was carried out at Water and Land Use Management Institute (WALMI) Farm, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during 2015-16 and 2016-17 to study the effect of seed priming on growth and seed yield in kabuli chickpea varieties. The experiment was laid in split plot design with three replications constituting two kabuli chickpea varieties and nine seed priming treatments. The results of pooled data revealed that, kabuli chickpea variety BG1105(V1) recorded significantly higher values for all parameters over MNK-1 (V2) while, seed priming with Sprint (Mancozeb 50% + Carbendazim 25% WS) @ 2 g per kg of seed (T9) recorded significantly higher chlorophyll content (53.45 SPAD value/plant) at 75 DAS, plant height (48.01 cm/plant), secondary branches (23.38/plant), number of pods (44.73/plant), seed yield (33.97 g/plant and 16.59 q/ha) compared other treatments and control (T1) (44.07 SPAD value/plant, 42.34 cm/plant, 17.98/plant, 32.25/plant, 19.95 g/plant, 12.09 q/ha, respectively) at harvest.