Agronomic Performance of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Varieties under Varied Phosphorus Levels at Ejersa Lafo District, West Showa Zone, Central Ethiopia.

Abstract

Chickpea is one of the most important pulse crop cultivated in Ethiopia. However, its productivity is constrained by a number of factors, out of which fertilizer rates and varieties are the most important ones. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in 2016 cropping season to determine the performance of different Chickpea varieties under varied phosphorus levels n Ejersa Lafo district. West Showa Zone, Central Ethiopia. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination of four chickpea varieties (Dalota, Teketay, Natoli and Local check)and four phosphorus rate (0, 23, 46 and 69 kg P2O5 ha-1) arranged ina randomize complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that main effect of both phosphorus rates varieties were highly significant (P<0.01) on days to 50% flowering, days 90% maturity, number of primary braches, number of secondary branches, nodules per plant, root length, number of pods per plant and hundred seed weight. Statistically significant interaction effect of phosphorus rated and varieties was recorded for plant height, number of seeds per pod, biological yield, seed yield and harvest index. Significantly high seed yield (2945 kg ha-1) and biological yield (7991 kg ha-1) were obtained for Teketay variety with the application of 46 Kg P2O5 ha-1, while the local variety with zero application recorded the lowest seed and biological yield, Optimum net benefit of EB53703ha-l was recorded on Tetetay variety with application of 46kg P2O5 ha-1. Therefore, Teketay variety with 46kg P2O5 ha1 fertilizer application as found to be economically beneficial compared to the other treatments and hence suggested for farmers in the study district.