Actual Evapotranspiration, Water Expense Efficiency and Grain Yield of Chickpea under Varying Irrigation Regimes

Chickpea crop is water sensitive amongst the pulse crop. It can grow leftover moisture with lifesaving water supply through irrigation during grain filling stage. Timely irrigation is important at crucial growth stages to achieving higher chickpea yield. In present study, the actual seasonal evapotranspiration, water expense efficiency and grain yield of Chickpea varieties under varying irrigation have been evaluated.

The field trial was laid out at the AB block farm of BCKV, Kalyani with a split-plot design with two chickpea varieties (i) V₁- Bidisha and (ii) V₂- Purva, in the main plots and three irrigation frequencies (i) I₁-irrigate once only at 30 days after sowing (DAS); (ii) I₂- irrigate twice on 30 and 50 DAS and (iii) I₃- irrigate thrice on 30, 50 and 70 DAS replicated thrice during the rabi season of 2020-21 and 2021-22.

The water expense efficiency was highest (1.32 kg m^-3) under I₁ irrigation frequency by Bidisha variety followed by Purva variety recorded highest WUE 0.95 kg m^-3. The maximum chickpea yield (2040 kg ha^-1) was harvested from Bidisha and was 23.04% greater than Purva mean over two years in I₃ irrigation regime. Considering the output of the study cultivation of Bidisha with three irrigations can be suggested to the farmers of the region.