Effect of irrigation, sulphur and seed inoculation on growth, yield and sulphur uptake of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) under late-sown conditions

A field experiment was conducted during the winter seasons (rabi) of 2000–2001 and 2001–2002 on sandy-loam soils at CCS Haryana Agricultural Univesity, Hisar, to study the effect of irrigation, sulphur and seed inoculation levels of growth, nodulation and yield of chickpea or gram (Cicer arietinum L) variety ‘HC 1’ under late-sown conditions. Two irrigations at pre-flowering and pod-development stages gave 16.4 and 7.4% more seed yield over no irrigation and 1 irrigation given at pre-flowering stage respectively. Highest consumptive use of water was recorded with 2 irrigations, while maximum water-use efficiency (WUE) in the control. Application of 40 kg S/ha resulted in better growth, yield attributes, yield, consumptive use, WUE and S uptake than no sulphur and 20 kg S/ha. Inoculation with Rhizobium + phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) significantly increased plant height, dry matter, nodulation, pods/plant, yield, consumptive use, WUE and S uptake over single inoculation of Rhizobium or PSB and no inoculation; however, single inoculation with Rhizobium or PSB being at par were significantly superior over the control