Effect of moisture-stress and phosphorus levels on the performance of gram (Cicer arietinum)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during the winter season of 1991-92 and 1992-93 to study the effect of moisturestress
and phosphorus levels on the performance of 'Vishwas' gram or chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in a split-plot
design. Six levels of irrigation (3 irrigations at 25, 50 and 75 days after sowing, 4 irrigations at 15, 30, 45 and 75 days,
2 irrigations at 25 and 50 days, 4 irrigations at 15, 30, 50 and 75 days, 2 irrigations at 45 and 75 days and 1 irrigations
. at 25 days), at different growth stages of gram were in main plots and 4 levels of phosphorus (0, 11,22 and 33 kg P/ha)
in subplots. Integrated effect of stress-free conditions due to 3 irrigations at 25, 50 and 75 days after sowing with P 22
kg/ha did not reduce seed yield (2.19 tonnes/ha) of gram significantly than the same moisture level with the P 33 kg/ha
(2.25 tonnes/ha). Imposing water-stress throughout and providing stress relief only once at 25 days after sowing proved
significantly superior (1.39 tonnes/ha) to that providing stress relief twice at 45 and 75 days after sowing (1.16 tonnes/
ha) in respect of seed yield. Relief of moisture-stress twice at 25 and 50 days after sowing was equally effective (1.70
tonnes/ha) to stress relief 4 times at 15, 30,45 and 75 days after sowing (1.74 tonnes/ha) as well as at 15,30,50 and 75
days after sowing (1.67 tonneslha) in respect of seed yield. The P stress from 22 kg/ha (1.75 tonnes/ha) to 11 kg/ha
reduced the gram yield significantly (1.59 tonnes/ha).