Nitrogen and phosphorus fertility management for desi and kabuli chickpea

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a relatively new crop in Saskatchewan and acreage has undergone a rapid expansion during the past decade. However, uncertainty remains regarding growth and yield responses of this grain legume to N and P fertilization under the semiarid environment of Saskatchewan. Field experiments were conducted at various locations in Saskatchewan to investigate chickpea response to starter N (0, 15, 30, and 45 kg N ha(-1)) and P (0, 20 and 40 kg P2O5 ha(-1)) using desi cv. Myles and kabuli cv. Sanford. Starter N was side banded (2.5 cm to the side and 4 cm below the seed) and the P was placed in the seed row or side banded. Starter N promoted early vegetative growth of both desi and kabuli chickpea, but kabuli seed yield was unaffected by N application. Application of 30 or 45 kg N ha(-1) enhanced desi yield by as much as 221 kg ha(-1). Starter N reduced N-2 fixation by kabuli chickpea whereas N2 fixation by desi apparently was not as sensitive to inorganic N. Phosphorus (40 kg P2O5 ha(-1)) enhanced chickpea vegetative growth, although only desi seed yield was significantly enhanced (121 kg ha(-1)). Shoot N and P accumulation in both chickpea types generally increased with P application, but N, fixation was unaffected. The results suggest that although N and P application had no effect on kabuli seed yield, desi yields may be optimized by the application of low rates of starter N (i.e., 30 kg N ha(-1)) and P (20 kg P2O5 ha(-1)).