Effect of sowing density on the yield and yield components of spring-sown irrigated chickpea (Cicer arietinum) grown in Spain

In Europe, Spain is the principal chickpea (Cicer arietinum) producer. Traditionally, the chickpea crop is predominately a spring crop and is rain-fed. However, a little of the crop is irrigated. The sowing density used depends principally on soil water availability. This work was carried out in 2001 and 2002 in the province of Leon, Spain, under irrigated conditions to determine the influence of sowing densities of 8, 16, 25, and 36 plants/m(2) on the yield and yield components of a Kabuli type of chickpea. There was a reduction in the number of pods/plant (mean, from 56.0 at 8 plants/m(2) to 14.3 at 36 plants/m(2)) and the 1000-seed weight (mean, from 406 g at 8 plants/m(2) to 383 g at 36 plants/m(2)) as plant density was increased. The highest yields of 222 and 208 g/m(2) were obtained at the highest density (36 plants/m(2)) and the lowest density (8 plants/m(2)), respectively. With the exception of 8 plants/m(2), increases in yield were caused by an increase in plant density.