Effect of Mesorhizobium and Thiobacillus bacteria and sulfur on yield and yield components of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and some soil parameters

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a low cost crop in agronomic system of semi arid to arid region overall the world. This crop due to adaptable capacity is caltivated in wide range of environmental conditions and different type of soils. Chickpea seeds contain 24-34% protein, this is 2 to 3 times more than cereals and 14 to 24% more than tuber plants. Chickpea seeds inoculation with rhizhibium cause more N2 fixation and increase chickpea yield. Mesorhizobium ciceri is one of the rhizobium genus that can have good symbiosis with this crop and fix atmospheric nitrogen up to 60-90% of crop nitrogen requirement after establishment on root crop. Therefore it could be said that biological fertilizers can increase crop production in a sustainable system. Mesorhizobiom can increase chickpea seeds and ultimately increase soil Phosphorus and Zinc concentration. Researchs showed that sulphur deficiency cause decrease seed yield. Nevertheless soil sulphur supply can help seed filling and increase economic yield. The aim of this study was evaluating effect of Mesorhizobium and Thiobacillus bacteria’s and sulfur on yield and yield components of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and some soil parameters. In order to study the effect of Mesorhizobium and Thiobacillus bacteria and sulfur on yield and yield components of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and some soil parameter, a field experiment was conducted at Jotai region of Khorasan Razavi province in 2013. This research was conducted as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications and 18 treatments. Experimental factors were three levels of sulphur (zero, 500 and 1000 kg ha-1), thiobacillus bacteria in two level (control and inoculation) and Mesoreizhobium in three levels (control, Mesorizhobium ciceri strain 190 and Mesorizhobium ciceri strain 9). Plot size was 2×4 m2 and row spacing and intra-row spacing were 60 and 20 cm, respectively. Irrigation were done at every 14 days. Weed control were done manually. Disease and pest were not recorded during experiment. After harvesting the crop, plant and soil samples from each plots were collected and transported to laboratory evaluation. Analysis of variance were done by SPSS software. Figures were prepared by Excel 2007. Mean comparison of data were done for least significant difference (LSD) at 1 and 5% level of significant. Analysis of variance of plant height showed that main effect of sulphur on plant hight were significant at p<0.01 and interaction effect of sulphur and mesorhizibium bacteria on plant hight were significant at p<0.05. These result is consistent with results of Solemani & Asgharzadeh (2010). Analysis of variance of data showed that different species of mesorizhobium bacteria had significant effect at p<0.01 on cheickpea yield. Mean comperision showed that the highest seed yield (1146.73 kg ha-1) belong to mesorizhobium ciceri 190 and lowest seed yield (971.07 kg ha-1) belong to mesorizhobium ciceri 9. Scientific reports showed that mesorizhobium inoculation with 25 kg ha-1 zinc sulphate had significantly increased the number of pods in plant and handred seed weight. Analysis of variance of root length showed that main and interaction effect of treatments were not significant on root length excep in mesorizhobium that were significant at p<0.05. Analysis of variance of seed protein showed that main effect of sulphur, mesorizhobium, sulfhur and mesorizhobium and thiobacillus with mesorizhobium were significant at p<0.01. Role of sulphur on seed protein were well understood. Analysis of variance of seed yield showed that main effect of mesorizhobium and interaction effect of sulphur and thibacillus and sulphur and mesorizhobium on seed yields were significant at p<0.01. Shrivastava et al, (2000) showed that mesorizhobium bacteria inoculation had significant effect on soyabean yield. Analysis of variance of soil sulphur showed that interaction effect of sulphur and thiobacillus had significant effect at p<0.01 on soil sulphur, phosphorus and soil pH but had no effect on soil potassium and electrical conductivity at p<0.05. Main effect of sulphur had significant effect on soil phosphorus and soil pH at p<0.01. However the main effect of mesorizhobium bacteria had significant effect on soil phosphorus at p<0.01. Main effect of thiobacillus had only significant effect at p<0.01 on soil pH. The interaction effect of sulphur and mesorizhobium had significant effect at p<0.01 on soil phosphorus, soil potassium and soil pH at p<0.01, but interaction effect of thiobacillus and mesorizhobium bacteria had only significant effect at p<0.01 on soil phosphorus. Interaction effect of all three factors had significant effect at p<0.01 on soil phosphorus and at p<0.05 on soil sulphur, EC and soil pH. Analysis of variance of data in this research showed that factors in this study had positive and significant effect on agronomic parameters of chickpea and soil physic-chemical properties.