Comparison of two Chickpea Cultivars under Entezari dryland Cultivation with Supplemental Irrigation in Fereydunshahr, Isfahan

A fundamental objective of the agricultural sector is efficient use of water and soil resources. To achieve these objectives, the possibility for Entezari cultivation of two chickpea cultivars with supplemental irrigation in the growing season was investigated in 2016‒2017 under the farming conditions in Fereydunshahr, Isfahan Province. Water use efficiency and the factors affecting certain soil qualitative characteristics were explored and yield comparisons were made. The Azad cultivar recorded a yield 1.8 times higher than that of the native cultivar. Under Entezari cultivation, the Azad and local mass cultivars recorded water use efficiencies of 1.11 and 0.61 kg m-3, respectively. In terms of irrigation + effective rainfall, these water use efficiencies would be 0.24 and 0.13 kg m-3 for Azad and the local mass cultivars, respectively. Based on the scores recorded under rotations, ground cover, soil compaction, and soil structure scored ‒2, ‒1, and 1.5, respectively, in the autumn chickpea cultivation in rotation with cereals; these were more positive than the corresponding ones (i.e., ‒3, ‒1.5 and 1, respectively) obtained for the spring cultivation of chickpea indicating the superiority of rotations with autumn cultivation of chickpea. These advantages bear witness to the possibility for autumn cultivation of such improved chickpea cultivars as Azad in the study area to achieve enhanced water use efficiency (i.e., effective rainfall and supplemental irrigation), reduced soil degradation, and improved soil quality.