Water availability is an important factor for plant growth in arid environments. In recent decades, vermicompost (VC) fertilizer has been used in agriculture as a safe and effective fertilizer with high water-holding capacity. The aim of the present study was to characterize effects of VC fertilizer on photosynthetic activity of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. karaj) under drought conditions at three growth stages. Tests were done at five volumetric ratios of vermicompost to soil: 0:100, 10:90, 20:80, and 30:70; and three levels of drought stress; non-stress (NS), moderate drought stress (MS), and severe drought stress (SS) (100, 75, and 25% of field capacity, respectively). Evaluations were made for chlorophyll content, gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence at different growth stages: a seedling, flowering, and podding stage. Results demonstrated that VC treatment under NS conditions significantly increased total chlorophyll content [Chl (a+b)], intercellular CO2 concentration (C i ), net photosynthetic rate (P N ), transpiration rate (E), and maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (F v /F m ) at all three stages. The VC addition at 10 and 20% significantly enhanced Chl content and F v /F m under MS and F v /F m , C i , and P N under SS at the flowering stage. In conclusion, the above results showed that VC fertilizer had a positive effect on photosynthesis of chickpea under NS conditions, but no positive effect was found under

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Evaluation of photosynthesis, physiological, and biochemical responses of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. Pirouz) under water deficit stress and use of vermicompost fertilizer

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