Response of Chickpea to Seed Priming in the High Barind Tract of Bangladesh

Abstract

In on-farm field trials at 30 locations in the Ataher, Amnura and Nachole soil series area of the High Barind Tract, Cicer arietinum cv. Barichola-2 seeds were primed (soaked in water overnight and then surface dried) or not primed before sowing at 50 kg seed/ha. Seed priming increased seedling emergence, plant height, number of pods/m², 1000-seed weight, grain yield and residue yield by 21, 22, 39, 6, 47 and 31%, respectively, and decreased the number of diseased plants/m², pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) damaged pods/m² and number of unfilled pods/m² by 45, 13 and 21%, respectively.