EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FERTILIZER DOSE AND BIO-FERTILIZER INOCULATION ON GROWTH AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.)

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2017-2018 at a School of Agriculture farm of Lovely Professional University on loamy soil. The objective of the study was to find out the best combination of inorganic fertilizer and bio-fertilizer in relation of yield and vegetative growth of chickpea. The result revealed that the growth parameters namely, plant population, plant height, root nodules plant-1 and dry matter production plant-1 were significantly affected by the application of inorganic fertilizer dose and bio-fertilizer. The number of pods plant-1, seed index (100 seed weight in g), and stover yield showed maximum values (67.13, 20.50 g, 2370 kg/ha) in T1 i.e. 100% RDF which is closely followed by T2 i.e. 75% RDF + PSB as soil application + Rhizobium as seed treatment. Whereas the application of 75% RDF + PSB as soil application + Rhizobium as seed treatment recorded maximum number of seeds pod-1 and biological yield (kg ha-1) which is 107% and 27% more than control and remained at par with 100% RDF.