Evaluation of the effect of chickpea seeds inoculation with rhizobium, arbuscular mycorhiza and like-endo mycorhiza on yield and yield components of chickpea genotypes (Cicer arietinum L.)

IntroductionIn Iran, among pluses, chickpea has been allocated the most area under cultivation. However, the yield average of water and dry chickpea is 1000 and 500 kg per hectare, respectively and among the producer countries of this product, the yield average is low. One of the factors which could be effective in increasing yield of chickpea is its symbiosis with the mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizal fungi because of stimulating the development of the root system of plants can affect food absorption. In addition to, mycorrhizal fungi specially provide biological phosphorus absorption for plants involved. Among them, the endo myccorihza (or Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza) that abbreviated VAM, in creation of symbiosis with the roots of chickpea have been more successful. The mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobium bacteria before create symbiosis with host plant, directly affect the overlay in rhizosphere environment of host plant. Studies have shown that the VAMs (which are newly named AMF ) are generally belong to Zigomaycota groups and ecto-myccorihza are mainly to Basidiomaycota. However recently a new species of Basidiomaycota has been identified with name of Piriformospora indica that acts as AMF and is an entophyte fungus. That is why it is called to be like-endo myccorihza. However, the Triplet symbiosis of chickpea, mycorrhiza and rhizobium and also chickpea genotypes response to this symbiosis should be examined.
Materials & MethodsIn order to investigate the inolulation of kabuli seeds of chickpea genotypes with arbuscular mycorrhiza and like-endo mycorhiza, an experiment was conducted in 2014, in split plot by arrangement of two - factors with a randomized complete block design and three replications in research field at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Main plots were consisted of three levels of mycorhiza (arbuscular mycorhiza of Glomus mosseae, like-endo mycorhiza of Piriformospora indica and non - used mycorhiza) and sub plots were consisted of nine genotypes of chickpea: MCC 80, MCC 358, MCC 361, MCC 392, MCC 427, MCC 537, MCC 693, MCC 696 and MCC 950. (These genotypes had good yield potentials and selection and presented in the studies on germplasm from the Institute of Plant Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad seed bank). All seeds of genotypes were infected to the symbiotic rhizobium bacteria of chickpea.
Results & DiscussionThe results indicated that mycorrhiza significantly increased seed and biological yield, harvest index and number of pods per plant. The effect of mycorrhiza was not significant on number of seeds in pod and weight of 1000 seeds. Among the genotypes in this study, the highest seed and biological yield and number of pods per plant was dedicated to genotype MCC 537. Genotypes MCC 80, MCC 537 and MCC 392 showed highest harvest index significantly. The highest weight of 1000 seeds was assigned to the genotype of MCC 392. There was not significant differences between genotypes due to the number of seeds per pod. In the study the interactions effects was observed between mycorrhizal and chickpea genotypes that the highest seed and biological yield belonged to the factor of arbuscular mycorrhiza-MCC 537 genotype and the highest harvest index belonged to the factor of arbuscular mycorrhiza-MCC 80 genotype.
ConclusionApplication of dual inoculation of mycorrhiza and rhizobium could improve the uptake of yield and yield components in chickpea genotypes. Application of like-endo mycorrhiza had not significant effect on seed production and yield components on chickpea. In a general conclusion, among the studied genotypes, MCC 537 and MCC 427 were better than the others.