Cicer-Bhizobium Interaction with Different Chick-pea Cultivars under Field Conditions

Summary All the Cicer-Bhizobium strains used increased the nodule number, nodule dry weight, and grain yield of chick-pea ( Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars over the control significantly during all the three years under field conditions, whereas increase in plant dry weight was significant during the 3rd year only. The per cent increase in grain yield varied with the different cultivars during all three years. Cultivar strain interaction was found to be significant during the 3rd year only. On the basis of interaction studies the best interacting strains were Ca 181 , CBH 32 , Ca 2 , and CH 777 with desi cv. H 208 , BG 203 , G 130 , and Kabuli cv. L 144 , respectively. There was no positive correlation of grain yield with nodule number, nodule dry weight and plant dry weight during all the three years.