Effects of Irrigation Treatment and Zinc Foliar Application on Yield and Yield Components of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of irrigation treatment and zinc foliar application on yield and yield component of chickpea (Cicer arietinum). The experiment was carried out at the RAN Research Station in Firouzkouh in 2011. The treatments consisted of 3 level of irrigation treatment (control or normal irrigation, irrigation terminated at budding stage, irrigation terminated at ripening stage) in main plots and 2 levels of zinc spraying (control, foliar spraying) in sub plots. The present results have shown that the highest height, number of branches per plant, seed number per pod and seed yield was obtained in normal irrigation. Irrigation termination at budding stage caused the highest reduction in measured traits. Zinc foliar application had positive effects on plant height, number of branches per plant and seed yield. Zinc application could decrease negative effects of water stress on yield and yield components of chickpea.