Salt Tolerance of Different Cultivars of Chickpea as Influenced by Zinc Fertilization

A greenhouse experiment was conducted on the performance of ten cultivars of chickpea (phule G5, L550, GNG146, ICCC32, BG26l, JG315, BMG413, Radhey, KPG24 and KPG70) in the zinc-stressed sodic soils at varying artificially created alkalinity (ESP 15.4, 20.8, 24.6 and 35.7) by addition of sodium bicarbonate to a normal loam soil (ESP 7.8). As compared to normal condition the magnitude of decrease in grain yield at ESP 20.8 was 82.76 per cent in Phule G5, 47.45 per cent in L550, 60.38 per cent in GNG 146,49.87 per cent in ICCC 32, 52.90 per cent in BG261, 52.72 per cent in JG 315, 80.95 per cent in BGM 413, 80.31 per cent in Radhey, 64.46 per cent in KPG 24, 58.73 per cent in KPG 70, the corresponding values with 20 mg Zn kg⁻¹ application being 64.48, 34.28, 43.13, 34.94, 36.76, 36.18, 61.85, 61.34, 44.15 and 41.45 per cent. At ESP 35.7 there was no grain formation in cultivars Phule G5, BGM 413, Radhey, KPG 24 under Zn stress condition, however application of Zn resulted in grain formation. Thus, zinc supply to soil resulted in significant improvement in grain yield by inducing crop tolerance to alkalinity. Zinc helped in narrowing Na/K and Na/Ca+Mg ratio in tissues.