Effects of irrigation period and surfactant application on some yield and morphological characteristics of chickpea genotypes (Cicer arietinum L.)

Introduction Drought stress is the most important factor of yield reduction of crops such as chickpea and a change in the amount of some internal components in plant. However, research has shown that chickpea has well respond to irrigation. Surfactants, as agronomical factors, are used in the water system to adjust the amount of irrigation. So, the aim of present experiment was evaluated the effect of irrigation concomitant with surfactants solution on yield and morphological characteristics of four chickpea genotypes, at Shahed University research farm in 2012-13. Materials and methods an experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with factorial treatment structure with three replications, Treatments included of three irrigation levels (100, 200, 300 mm) evaporation of class A pan, two levels of surfactant solution (with and without application) and four chickpea genotypes Arman, Azad, Bionij and the Greet. Seeds genotypes tested were prepared from Kermanshah Sararood Dryland Research Center. The seeds after disinfection with fungicides Benomyl (2 per thousand), was done at a depth of approximately five centimeter. Surfactantsolution used for the testing of non- Ionic surfactant brand was Irrigaid Gold that it amount was fixed for all treatments and after the establishment of the plantlets, as water-soluble, were used.   Results and discussion The results showed that the highest growth period, the number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, number of fertile pods and seed obtained weight at 100 mm evaporation of class A with the use of surfactant. Azad and Arman had the highest and Bionij genotype had the lowest plant height and the highest grain yield (kg ha 9/1541) with irrigation at 100 mm evaporation achieved by the use of surfactant on Greet genotype. The highest average of dry matter (1189 kg per hectare) was obtained by irrigation at 100 mm evaporation with the use of surfactant for Azad genotypes.