Investigation the possibility of enhancement of plant growth and yields in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) desi type to bio-fertilizers

Due to the importance of chickpeas in human nutrition, this experiment was conducted as split-plot based on complete randomized block design with three replications in 2018 at the research farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Treatments were combination of seed priming, fertilizer levels and chickpea genotypes. Fertilizers levels included: 1-seed priming + free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria, phosphate solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria(P+BF) 2-Application of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria, phosphate solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria(BF) 3-Pre-planting application of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria+foliar application of amino acids, potassium and silisium during growth period(BF+F) 4-Seed priming+pre-planting application of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria, phosphate solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria + foliar application of amino acids, potassium and silicium during growth period (P+BF+F) 5-Control (non- fertilized). Fertilizers were considered as main plots and chickpea genotypes (MCC911, MCC603, MCC291, MCC259 and MCC83) as sub-plots. Results indicated that MCC291 in P+BF+F and MCC83 in BF+F had the highest concentration of Chlorophyll a. The highest plant height was found in MCC259 and MCC911 in BF and MCC83 in P+BF+F. MC259 and MCC911 in F showed the highest height of the first pod. The highest number of pods per plant and 100-seed weight were recorded in MCC83 in P+BF+F. The highest seed yield (233, 212 and 206 g.m-2) was found in MCC259 in P+BF and P+BF+F and MCC911 in BF+F, respectively. Therefore, according to the obtained yields it could be concluded that the biological fertilizers combination treatments improved plant growth and consequently chickpea yield in Mashhad area.