Evaluation of different varieties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under agro-ecological conditions of naudero (district Larkana)

Larkana district is one of the chickpea cultivating belts of Pakistan where farmers prefer to cultivate and harvest chickpea to supply for other regions of the country. Almost farmers of this area cultivate two local varieties Dokri Gram-89 (DG-89) and Dokri Gram-92 (DG-92). Therefore, this field study has been carried out to evaluate the six approved varieties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) throughout Pakistan under agro-ecological conditions of district larkana. The research was carried out at farmers’field of the targeted area of village Kubro, Union Council Saeedo Dero, Tahsil Ratodero, District, Larkana, Sindh province of Pakistan. The results showed that the maximum plant population per treatment was recorded at 29.78 (m²) in chickpea variety KK-2, and the lowest plant population 21.62 (m^-2) was recorded in variety Chattan. The highest plant height was recorded 53.33 cm in chickpea variety KK-2 and the lowest plant height at 32.66 (cm) was recorded in variety Chattan. The highest branches plant^-1 was recorded at 8.20 in chickpea variety KK-2, and the lowest was 21.62 in variety Chattan. The maximum pods plant^-1 were noted at 58.00 in chickpea variety KK-2, and the minimum pods plant^-1 (25.33) were recorded in variety Chattan. The maximum seeds plant^-1 (81.32) were recorded in chickpea variety KK-2, and the lowest seeds plant^-1 at 32.54 were observed in variety Chattan. The highest seed weight plant^-1 @ 13.96 g was recorded in chickpea variety KK-2, and the lowest seed weight plant^-1 at 3.93 (g) was recorded in variety Chattan. The highest seed index at 28.33 g was recorded in chickpea variety KK-2, and the lowest seed index at 21.44 g was recorded in variety Chattan. The maximum biological yield at 5381.2 kg ha^-1 was recorded in KK-2, and the lowest biological yield at 2522.9 kg ha^-1 was recorded in variety Chattan. The maximum seed yield at 1793.8 kg ha^-1 was recorded in chickpea variety KK-2, and the lowest seed yield @ 841.0 kg ha^-1 was recorded in variety Chattan. The chickpea varieties were significantly affected by agro-ecological conditions of the area with the novel introduction of chickpea variety KK-2 from Karak, KPK performed best among all which could be further tested at the different field areas of Sindh province of Pakistan.