The Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding

Allelopathic effects on nodulation behaviour of three grain legume crops viz. Chickpea (Cicer arietinurn L.), Lentil (Lens culinaris L.) and Pea (Pisurn sativurn L.) were studied by using five diverse genotypes having marked differences in seed size, colour and other morphological characters. The genotypes belonging to three distinct groups of desi (var. ICC 5166), kabuli (var. BGM 448) and black seeded (var. G 40) chickpea and one each of lentil (L 4076) and pea (HFP 4) were studied by raising two seeds belonging to two different genotypes at a single hill in all possible combinations in a four replication RBD trial under field conditions for three years. Among the three grain legumes, the largest number of nodules per plant was observed in chickpea followed by lentil and peas in that order. Chickpea genotypes showed inhibitory effects of allelopathy resulting in supression of nodulation. Lentil var. L. 4076 also exhibited negative allelopathic effects. However, pea var. HFP 4 showed enhanced nodulation in all the treatment combinations in the all three years, thereby confirming the positive stimulatory effects of allelopathy in increasing nodulation in pea.