Physiology and Yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes in Response to Different Sowing Dates in Semi Arid Regions of North India

Background: Climate change causes variation in global temperature in last two decades which causes detrimental effects on agricultural crops being grown in arid and semi-arid regions. Chickpea crop sensitive to variation in temperature as the late-sown crop is exposed to high temperatures (>35 & DEG;C) at its reproductive stage in the months of February and March and early sown crops is exposed to low temperature (<5 & DEG;C) at its vegetative stage in December and January so optimum sowing time plays a vital role for overall growth and development of the plants.Methods: The experiment comprising of three sowing dates that is 15th October (early sown condition in Haryana), 15th November (Normal sown condition in Haryana) and 15th December (late sown condition in Haryana) with ten chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes namely ICCV 88503, ICCV 92944, HC-1, HC-3, HC-5, H12-64, H13-01, H13-02, H14-01 and H14-04 in randomized block design during Rabi season of 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Pulses Section, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. Result: Statistically no significant differences in seed yield was recorded between 15th October and 15th November sowing, however, further delay in sowing to 15th December showed significant reduction in seed yield while maximum values for recorded physiological parameters in chickpea genotypes were found in 15th November sowing and minimum in 15th December sowing. Among genotypes maximum physiological parameters and seed yield were observed in H12-64 and H13-01 while minimum were found in H14-04.