Impact of customized fertilizer on growth and yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Madhya Pradesh soil

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the MGU Bilkisganj Research Farm, Sehore, during the Rabi seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 to evaluate the effect of customized fertilizers on chickpea (Cicer arietinum) on growth and productivity. The study was conducted under uniform topography and normal fertility conditions, with six treatments: varying doses of NPK and customized fertilizers with micronutrients, including sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), and molybdenum (Mo). A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of customized fertilizer treatments on the growth and yield parameters of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The study revealed significant differences among treatments in terms of plant growth and productivity. Application of customized fertilizer at 125 kg ha⁻¹ (T5), enriched with N, P₂O₅, K₂O, sulfur, zinc, and molybdenum, consistently produced the highest values across all measured parameters. T5 recorded the maximum number of branches per plant (6.76), highest dry weight (80.56 g plant⁻¹), seed index (23.59 g), biological yield (3586.25 kg ha⁻¹), grain yield (1526.96 kg ha⁻¹), and straw yield (2119.75 kg ha⁻¹). This was followed by T4 (100 kg ha⁻¹), which also showed enhanced performance. Treatments containing micronutrients (T2 and T5) outperformed those with only macronutrients (T1 and T3), highlighting the importance of balanced nutrient management. The control treatment (T6), with no fertilizer application, consistently recorded the lowest values.