Enhancing Water Productivity to Improve Chickpea Production in Bansagar Command Area of Madhya Pradesh

To improve chickpea production and to enhance water productivity in Bansagar command area of Madhya Pradesh , four water management treatments consisting two farmers practices treatments i.e. two irrigation by flooding method and two improved practices i.e. two irrigation at flowering and pod formation stage with border strip method were studied. Under improved practices water was applied twice each of 4 cm depth at flowering and pod formation stages by boarder strip method. It was recorded that improved irrigation management practices gave significantly higher number of nodules (119/plant), and seed yield (1237Kg/ha) of chickpea. An increase of 11.32% chickpea yield was noticed as compared to farmers practices. Water expenses efficiency (water productivity) was also found better in improved practice (98.2 Kg/ha/cm) as compared to farmers practices (49.8 Kg/ha/cm) as total 15 cm irrigation water was applied produced 1042 kg/ha yield of chickpea under farmers practices.