Effect of Depth of Sowing and Mulching on Rainfed Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in Red and Lateritic Belt of West Bengal

Abstract

Background: Availability of soil moisture is a serious bottleneck for successful growing of post monsoon crops in red and lateritic soil. Hence, soil moisture conservation is crucial for post monsoon crops. In this aspect using mulches for conservation of moisture and optimum depth of sowing for proper germination and seedling emergence are important crop management practices in red and lateritic soil. Methods: The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three depths of sowing as main-plot treatments and four mulching practices as subplot treatments replicated thrice. Measured growth parameters were plant height (cm), number of branches plant-1, dry matter accumulation (g m-2) and leaf area index (LAI); yield attributes such as effective branches m-2, number of mature pods branch-1, number of seeds pod-1 and seed index; grain and stalk yield. Economics of cultivation was assessed in terms of cost of cultivation, gross and net return and net return per invested. Result: Chickpea sown planted at 7.5 cm depth of sowing recorded maximum yield, consumptive water use efficiency and profitability. Application of 7.5 t ha-1 straw mulch registered significantly higher yield of chickpea, consumptive water use efficiency and profitability.

Host resistance by sowing date interaction reduced Fusarium wilt pressure and improved grain yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in North Shoa, Ethiopia

“…Similar trends were observed for interaction effects of varieties × sowing dates on incidence, AUDPC, and the disease progress rate at both locations. Likewise, Yigrem et al ( 2018), Kemal et al (2015), and Biswas & Ali (2017) confirmed strong influence of varieties and sowing dates on disease parameters.…”

“…(2018), Kemal et al. (2015), and Biswas & Ali (2017) confirmed strong influence of varieties and sowing dates on disease parameters.…”

“…However, contrasting results regarding the effect of sowing date on wilt incidence had been reported in that late sowing exposes the crop to infection and disease establishment. For example, Biswas and Ali (2017) reported that disease incidence and rate were increased considerably in late sown crop (second week of November), which was sown after the schedule time of sowing. The authors explained that appropriate soil temperature and moisture level during the month of February and March could help the pathogen for faster growth and multiplication than early sown chickpea.…”