Performance of Different Nutrient Management Practices on Growth, Yield and Soil Fertility Dynamics of Chickpea Crop

Abstract

Chickpea is valued as the “king of pulses” due to its high nutritional content, containing 18–22% protein, 64% carbohydrates, and several essential minerals. Organic nutrient management plays a vital role in maintaining soil health, microbial activity, and nutrient cycling. The present investigation was therefore undertaken to study the effect of different organic nutrient management practices on the yield of chickpea and the physico-chemical properties of soil under semi-arid conditions of Rajasthan. A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2024-25 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Department of Soil Science, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur (Rajasthan). The experiment comprised eight treatments involving various combinations of farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, neem cake, and poultry manure, along with an absolute control. The collected data were statistically analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) appropriate for the RBD design. Results revealed that growth and yield parameters of chickpea were significantly influenced by organic nutrient management. The highest plant height (62.25 cm), number of branches per plant (13.62), pods per plant (65.74), test weight (227.71 g) and seed yield (1640 kg ha⁻¹) were recorded in T8-Vermicompost @ 2 t ha⁻¹ + Neem cake @ 2 t ha⁻¹, which was statistically at par with T7- Vermicompost @ 2 t ha⁻¹ + Poultry manure @ 2 t ha⁻¹. Among soil parameters, bulk density, particle density, soil pH, and electrical conductivity were not significantly affected, while organic carbon and available N, P and K showed significant improvement under organic nutrient treatments. The maximum organic carbon (0.57%), available nitrogen (184.43 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus (15.62 kg ha⁻¹) and potassium (211.08 kg ha⁻¹) were observed with T8. Overall, the combined application of vermicompost and neem cake proved most effective in enhancing chickpea productivity and improving soil fertility. Organic nutrient management significantly influenced the growth, yield, and soil fertility of chickpea under semi-arid conditions.