Vol. 11, Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
B Lohitha and A Dutta

Abstract:
An experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2019-20 and 2020-21 with two varieties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) viz. JG-14 and Bidisha to study the response of genotypes towards seed biopriming. The design of experiment was split plot with two factor analysis comprising varieties as first factor and biopriming treatments [viz. T₁- Rhizobium, T₂-PSB, T₃-Azotobacter, T₄-Rhizobium+PSB, T₅-PSB+Azotobacter, T₆- Rhizobium+PSB+Azotobacter, T₇-Control (water soaking of seeds)] as second factor. Highest seed yield (228.37 g m^-2) was recorded in V₂T₄ (Bidisha with Rhizobium + PSB) followed by V₂T₆ (Bidisha with Rhizobium + PSB + Azotobacter). The two varieties and different treatments had significant effect on various characters. Among the treatments, T₆ (Rhizobium + PSB + Azotobacter) recorded highest seed yield followed by T₄ (Rhizobium + PSB) with 206.02 and 205.57 g.sq.m^-1 respectively. Between the varieties, Bidisha produced higher seed yield as compared to JG-14 (171.03 and 153.22 g sq.m^-1 respectively). Pattern of pod development revealed that fresh pod weight and fresh seed weight increased up to 104 days after sowing irrespective of treatments and varieties, there after declined at 111 days after sowing. Therefore, it can be concluded that for getting higher seed yield, chickpea seeds should be primed with Rhizobium + PSB or Rhizobium + PSB + Azotobacter before sowing and harvesting should be done at 104 days after sowing for both Bidisha and JG-14 varieties.