Effect of integrated nutrient management and drought mitigating practices on performance of rainfed chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Abstract

The investigation aimed to study the effect of integrated nutrient management and drought mitigating practices on rainfed chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) on sandy clay loam soil at Varanasi in winters of 2012-13 and 2013-14. The treatment consisted of combinations of four integrated nutrients levels in main plot and five drought mitigating practices including control in sub-plot. The growth and yield were significantly influenced by different integrated nutrients during both the years. Application of 100% RDF + 2% urea spray proved significantly superior to the 100% RDF+ 25% N (VC), 100% RDF + 5 kg Zn/ha and 100% RDF in terms of growth and yield attributes, net returns and B:C ratio. Foliar spray of 2% KCl + 0.4% sodium selenite recorded maximum values of growth and yield of chickpea which was found comparable with 2% KCl during both the years. The maximum net return (23 880) and B:C ratio (1.97) was recorded under 2% KCl during both the years. It is concluded that significant improvement in growth characters, yield attributes, yields and nutrients uptake were recorded with the application of 100% RDF + 2% urea spray during both the years of experimentations. Similarly, among the drought mitigating practices, application of 2% KCl + 0.4% Sodium selenite spray was found significantly superior to others during both the years of experiment. 100% RDF + 2% Urea spray resulted in maximum gross return, net return and B:C ratio during both the years of study. Among the drought mitigating practices, application of 2% KCl + 0.4% Sodium selenite spray showed maximum gross return during both the year while maximum net return as well as B:C ratio were associated with 2% KCl spray during both the year of investigation.