THE ASSESSMENT OF SUPPLEMENTARY IRRIGATION AND SPRAYING OF ZINC AND MANGANESE ON CHICKPEA GROWTH AND YIELD IN RAINFED CONDITIONS

Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of supplemental irrigation and spraying of zinc and manganese on chickpea growth and yield in rainfed conditions, a field experiment was conducted in 2014. The experimental design was set up in split split plot in randomized complete block with three replications. The phenological stages recorded were: emergence, flowering, 50% flowering, and harvest maturity. At harvest, economic yield and its components, pod, seed and total dry weight, and seed protein content were measured. The Zn and Mn contents were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The results indicated that the except for the time for emergence to 50% of flowering (TF₅₀), other studied traits were affected by supplemental irrigation. Foliar treatments did not have a significant effect on the time for emergence to 50% of flowering (TF₅₀), maturity (THM), and 100 seed weight. Spraying treatments and supplemental irrigation increased the concentration of Zn and Mn in leaves and seeds of chickpea. Protein content was decreased in supplementary irrigation and Manganese spraying was more effective in increasing the protein content of seed than that of zinc application. supplementary irrigation compared to rainfed conditions significantly increased dry weight of pods, seeds and total plant, number of pods per plant, number of seed per plant and 100 seed weight, [Zn]leaf, [Zn]seed, [Mn]leaf and [Mn]seedby 67.84%, 82.84%, 51.67%, 60.61%, 81.32%, 20.16%, 47.04%, 33.20%, 36.33% and 36.52%, respectively.