EFFECT OF INTER-ROW AND INTRA-ROW SPACING ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) CULTIVARS IN MERTULEMARIAM, NORTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA

One of the reasons of low yield of chickpea in Ethiopia is the use of inappropriate plant population by farmers. Thus, field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of inter and intra-row spacing on yield and yield components of chickpea cultivars in Mertulemariam, Northwestern Ethiopia. The treatment consists of two chickpea cultivars (one Kabuli type, Arertie; one Dessi type, local), three inter-row spacing (40, 30and 20 cm) and three intra-row spacing (20, 15 and 10 cm). Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in factorial arrangement was used. The main effect of cultivar resulted in significant effect on number of days to 50% flowering and the number of secondary branches. Delayed days to 50% flowering and highest number of secondary branches were recorded under cultivar Arertie as compared to local cultivar. The highest number of secondary branches (6.38) was observed from cultivar Arertie at 20 cm intra-row spacing. The interaction effect of variety with inter-row spacing and intra row spacing had significant effect on number of pod per plant. Thus, widest inter-row (40 cm) and intra-row (20 cm) spacing produced the highest number of pods per plant in both cultivars. Late days to 50% flowering was recorded at the narrow inter-row spacing and intra-row spacing as compared to the rest of combinations. The interaction effects of cultivar , inter- row and intra-row spacing showed a significant influence on day to 90% physiological maturity, plant height, stand count after thinning and at harvest, number of seeds per pod, hundred seed weight and seed yield. Thus, cultivar Arertie at 40 cm inter and 10 cm intra-row spacing was late (140 days) in number of days to 90% flowering, highest number of stand count percent at harvest (98.33%) and hundred seed weight (27.3g) compare to local cultivar. Inter row spacing of 30 cm and 10 cm intra-row spacing gave the tallest plant height (56.67 cm) due to cultivar Arertie. Highest number of seeds per pod (2.00) for local cultivar and the lowest (1.04) for cultivar Arertie, due to 20 cm inter × 10 cm intra-row spacing, respectively. The highest (27.1g) and lowest (10.87g) hundred seed weight was for cultivar Arertie due to 30 × 20 cm and local cultivar due to 20 ×10 cm, respectively. The highest seed yield (3026 kg ha-1 ) was recorded from variety Arertie at 30 cm inter and 10 cm intra-row spacing and the highest (1581 kg ha-1) was that at local cultivar at 30 × 20 cm row spacing. Thus, the above result, indicated that the seed yield was substantiality improved by the use of plant spacing of 30 cm inter and 10 cm intra-row spacing of cultivar Arertie and 30 cm inter and 20 cm intra-row spacing of local cultivar . However, the above result is based on one season at one location. A further study over years and locations is recommended to give valid recommendation.