Studies on Nano DAP on Growth, Yield and Quality of Chickpeas under Rainfed Conditions of Northeastern Dry Zone of Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Kalaburagi, during rabi season of 2022-23 to study the growth and yield of chickpea as influenced by fertilizers and foliar application of nano DAP. The experiment included four levels of RDF in main plots viz., 0% RDF (M1), 50% RDF (M2), 75% RDF (M3) and 100% RDF (M3) and three levels of nano DAP sprays in subplots viz., 2 ml litre-1 of water (S1), 4 ml litre-1 of water (S2), and Seed treatment with Nano DAP @ 5ml kg-1 seeds (S3) laid out in split plot design. The results revealed that among all the treatment combinations,100% RDF + nano DAP @ 4 ml litre-1 of water recorded significantly higher growth, parameters viz., plant height (37.56 cm), number of primary branches plant-1 (6.86), leaf area plant-1 (2.58 dm2 plant-1), LAI (0.86) and total dry matter accumulation in plant (20.24 g plant-1) at harvest.; yield parameters viz., number of pods plant-1 (23.52), seed weight per plant (9.16 g), 100 seed weight (22.30 g), haulm yield (3550kg ha-1), seed yield (1868 kg ha-1), quality parameters viz., protein content (19.31%) and protein yield (361.15 kg ha-1). This treatment was however found on par with 75 per cent RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP @ 4 ml litre-1 of water which recorded on par growth parameters viz., plant height (36.56 cm), number of primary branches plant-1 (6.59), leaf area plant-1 (2.51 dm2 plant-1), LAI (0.84), chlorophyll content (57.47) and total dry matter accumulation by plant (19.80 g plant-1) at harvest.; yield parameters viz., number of pods plant-1 (23.25), seed weight per plant (9.04 g), 100 seed weight (21.16 g), haulm yield (3504kg ha-1), seed yield (1796 kg ha-1), protein content (19.04%) and protein yield (342.52 kg ha-1).