Investigating the effect of applying different levels of bioactive solution at different stages of growth on the chickpea yield under moderate cold dryland conditions

Replacing biological inputs that are prepared through natural processes instead of chemical inputs in strengthening the growth and development of crops and increasing their yield is one of the principles of organic and sustainable agriculture. In this regard, in order to investigate the effects of the use of bio-active growth solution on yield and yield components of chickpea (Mansour cultivar), an experiment was carried out in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications at the Dryland Agricultural Research Sub-Institute for two years from the fall of 2019. Each replication includes 13 treatments including the application of each of the concentrations of 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 liters of the mentioned fertilizer in the three stages of the beginning of vegetative growth, the beginning of pod formation and the beginning of vegetative growth + the beginning of pod formation along with the control treatment (no foliar spraying). The results showed that seed yield, biological yield, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 100-seeds weight were affected by foliar application. The concentration of 1 and 1.5 liters per hectare of the solution in the two stages of the beginning of vegetative growth and the beginning of podding had the greatest effect on the yield and yield components of chickpea. Under the mentioned treatments, the grain yield with an average of 774.8 kg per hectare, the number of 13.6 pods per plant, 0.95 seeds per plant and the 35.1 g for 100-seeds weight were superior to the control. Economically, it is recommended to use a concentration of one liter per hectare compared to a concentration of 1.5 liters per hectare as the best concentration of bioactive solution to improve the yield and yield components of chickpea.