EFFECT OF SOWING DATE AND PLANT DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS ON SEED YIELD OF SOME CHICKPEA VARIETIES

Two field experiments were conducted at Agric. Exp. St., Fac. Agric., Cairo
Univ., Giza, Egypt during 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons. The major objective
was studying the effect of four sowing dates (Oct. 20, Nov.10, Nov.30 and Dec.20)
and three plant distribution patterns on yield of three chickpea varieties (Giza1,
Giza195 and Giza531). Plants were arranged in three patterns, i.e., two plants per
hill,10 cm apart on one side of ridge (01); one plant per hill, 10 cm apart on both sides
of ridge (02) as well as two plants per hill, 20 cm apart on both sides of ridge
(D3).Results showed that sowing on Nov.10 gave the greatest values of chickpea
seed yield/faddan and its attributes (number of full pods, number of seeds/plant and
seed yield/plant) .While the lowest values of these traits obtained with late sowing
(December, 20), in both seasons.
Planting one plant per hill, 10 cm apart on both sides of ridge surpassed the
other distributions in number of seeds/plant, seed yield per plant and faddan in both
seasons. Giza 531 variety surpassed other varieties in seed yield/fad in the first
season. In the second season, Giza 195 and Giza 531 recorded the highest yield. A
significant interaction between sowing dates x varieties and sowing dates x plant
distribution patterns was observed on some studied characters, in both seasons. On
contrary, varieties X distribution patterns interaction as well as sowing dates X
varieties X distributions interaction didn't significantly affect all studied traits.