MAXIMIZING CHICKPEA YIELD THROUGH STRATEGIC IRRIGATION SCHEDULING UNDER OVERHEAD SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Scheduling of irrigation at different growth stages of chickpea under overhead sprinkler” was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Repoli during Rabi  2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 to study the response of irrigation on growth, yield and quality of chickpea and estimate water requirement of chickpea in medium black soil. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design with 7 treatments and three replications. The treatment consist of Irrigation levels {I₁ : Irrigation scheduled at seedling stage (20 DAS), I₂: Irrigation scheduled at flowering stage (40 DAS), I₃: Irrigation scheduled at grain filling stage (60 DAS), I₄ : Irrigation scheduled at seedling and flowering stage (20 and 40 DAS), I₅: Irrigation scheduled at seedling and grain filling stage (20 and 60 DAS), I₆: Irrigation scheduled at flowering and grain filling stage (40 and 60 DAS) and I₇: Irrigation scheduled at seedling, flowering and grain filling stage(20,40 and 60 DAS)} with I₀: Control. From the four years data it can be concluded that irrigation scheduling at seedling and flowering stage proved to be significantly highest in grain yield of chickpea, where water use efficiency was 8.34 kg/ha-mm. The water use efficiency was highest when irrigation was scheduled at flowering stage (14.58 kg/ha-mm). Irrigation at grain filling stage could not produce significant effect on grain yield. Irrigation at seedling and flowering stage could increase the yield by 78.07 % over unirrigated chickpea, whereas only one irrigation at flowering stage yielded 55.65 % increase in grain yield as compare to unirrigated chickpea. The maximum Total cost (Rs. 42474 ha^-1), Gross return (Rs. 43560 ha^-1), Net return (Rs. 1086 ha^-1) and BC ratio (1.03) recorded by treatment (I₄) irrigation scheduled at seedling and flowering stage (20 and 40 DAS).