Response of Bio-fertilizer and Phosphorus on Yield and Economics of Kabuli Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. var. kabulium)

Abstract

At the Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj, a field experiment was undertaken during the Rabi season 2022. The soil texture of the experimental plot was sandy loam, with a pH of 7.1, low organic carbon (0.28 percent), available N (225 kg/ha), available P (19.50 kg/ha), and available K (213.7 kg/ha). Rhizobium sp (20g/kg seed), PSB (20g/kg seed), and Rhizobium sp + PSB (10g/kg seed + 10g/kg seed) were used as bio-fertilizers, and phosphorus (50 kg P2O5/ha, 60kg P2O5/ha, 70 kg P2O5/ha) were used as fertilizers in 3 levels. The experiment used a Randomized Block Design with ten treatments and was repeated three times. The treatment of Rhizobium sp + PSB (10 g/kg seed + 10 g/kg seed) + Phosphorus (70 kg/ha) resulted in the highest plant height (57.67cm) (Treatment-10) recorded in the study. Number of nodules per plant (47.80), plant dry weight (10.32 g/plant), number of pods per plant (30.17), number of seeds per pod (1.65), seed yield (2975.44 kg/ha) and in treatment-8 [Rhizobium sp. + PSB + Phosphorus (50 kg/ha)] stover yield (4080.63 kg/ha) was recoded maximum, were all determined to be significant. The treatment (T10) with the application of Rhizobium sp + PSB (10g/kg seed + 10g/kg seed) + Phosphorus (70 kg/ha) produced the highest gross returns (157698.10 INR/ha), net returns (118348.64 INR/ha), and B:C ratio (3.01).