Effect of Rhizobium inoculation and nitrogen fertilization on yield and protein content of six chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars in marginal soils under irrigation

A field experiment was carried out for two consecutive seasons 1994/95 and 1995/96 at ElRwakeeb (a sandy clay loam) to study the effect of Rhizobium sp. (Cicer) inoculation and N fertilization on six chickpea cultivars (Baladi, Gabel marra, NEC 25–27, NEC 2010, ILC 1919, and Flip 85–108). Plants were either inoculated with three Rhizobium sp. (Cicer) strains (TAL 480, TAL 620 and TAL 1148) separately, or N fertilized (50 kg N ha-1). The results of the two seasons indicated the absence of infective strains for chickpea in the soil. Rhizobium inoculation or N fertilization significantly increased the total nodule number per plant, 100 seed weight, yield and protein content of seeds. The results indicated that the three Rhizobium strains are infective and effective in nitrogen fixation. Inoculation with Rhizobium strain TAL 1148 resulted in a significant increment in most of the parameters studied, compared to other strains and untreated control. Cultivar ILC 1919 was the best yielding cultivar, whereas, cultivar NEC 2010 contained the highest protein content, however cultivar Gabel marra showed the highest amount of protein due to inoculation or N fertilization, in the two seasons. Inoculation with Rhizobium strain TAL 1148 increased yield by 72 and 70%, whereas, 50 kg N ha-1 increased it by 70 and 69% in the first and second seasons, respectively. The amounts of protein accumulated (kg ha-1) due to N or Rhizobium inoculation were determined for all cultivars. The results obtained from the inoculation were comparable to those of 50 kg N ha-1.