Effect of Time of Foliar Application of Different Bio-stimulants on Growth, Yield and Economics of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Mid Hills of Himachal Pradesh, India
Diksha Sharma
MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Ranjeet Singh Bochalya *
Department of Agriculture, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University) Mullana- Ambala, Haryana, India.
Kartikeya Choudhary
School of Agriculture, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Rohit Kumar
MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Samriti Chandel
MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Amisha Thakur
MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Aman Kapoor
MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The field experiment was conducted at Shoolini University, Solan during rabi season of 2023-24 to study the effect of time of foliar application of different bio-stimulants on growth, yield and economics of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh. The soil of experimental field was sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction with EC in safer range, higher in organic carbon and phosphorus, medium in available nitrogen and potassium. The field experiment was laid out in split plot design comprising three time of foliar application in main plot viz. (G1) Pre-flowering, (G2) Pod initiation and (G3) Pre-flowering + Pod initiation and four Bio-stimulants in sub-plot viz. (B1) Vermiwash at 10% solution, (B2) Cow urine at 10% solution, (B3) Jeevamrit at 10% solution and (B4) Panchagavya at 3% solution. Recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (30:60:30 kg ha-1) were applied through urea, SSP and MOP, respectively at the time of sowing as basal dose. Himachal Channa-2 variety of chickpea was used for sowing. The results indicated that the foliar application of Panchagavya at 3% solution at Pre-flowering + Pod initiation recorded significantly higher yield attributes and yield and economics viz. number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, grain, straw, biological yield, gross returns, net returns and BCR over rest of the treatments.
Keywords: Foliar application, bio-stimulants, gross returns, net returns, BCR