ABSTRACT
Performance of three chickpea genotypes differlng in seed weight, at four plant populatlon levels

Enrique Peñaloza H.1 y Juan Levio C.1
 

In a two-year experiment, three semicompact chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes differing in average seed weight (30,42, and 55 g/100 seeds) were evaluated at four plant populations (10, 17,34, and 65 plants/m2). The study was conducted at Carahue (38°40'S, 73º9'W), a highly productive environment for chickpea growth in the IX Region, Chile. Irrespective of the year, plant population increased seed yield the optimum being 54, 57, and 64 plants/m2, for the large, medium, and small seed size genotypes. Yield increases was associated with an increase in pods/m2. A year x genotype interaction was observed for seed yield, attributed largely to the presence of improductive (empty) pods which incidence was unnaffected by plant population. Averaged of both years, seed weight was 10 and 7.4% reduced with increasing plant population from 10 to 65 plants/m2, for the large and medium seed size genotypes respectively, with the small one being not affected. Only genotype differences and year effect were observed for seed per pod component. Plant competition reduced the reproductive period, accelerated plant dryness, and increased the height of the first pod-bearing node in all genotypes. Likewise, competition reduced branching and stem diameter, thus increasing the plant susceptibility to lodging, compared to less competitive populations.

Keywords: seed yield, yield components, empty pods, plant competition.
1 Estación Experimental Carillanca (INIA), Casilla 58-D, Temuco, Chile.