Performance of Chickpea Varieties Based on Growth and Yield Parameters Influenced by Different Sowing Dates at Toke Kutaye District, Ethiopia

One of the basic agronomic practices to improve the yield of chickpea are ideal sowing date and high yielding varieties. Thus, a field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of different sowing dates on yield and yield components of chickpea varieties in the main cropping season of 2019 at Toke Kutaye District. Four sowing dates (September 4th, September 14th, September 24th, and October 5th) and four kabuli varieties. Four Kabuli types of chickpea varieties were Dalota, Ejere, Teji and Dube (local check). Experiment was laid out in split plot design using factorial arrangement with three replications and sowing date treatments were assigned to the main plots and varieties to sub plots. The main effect of sowing date showed highly significant effect on days to emergence, days to 50% flowering and physiological maturity. Highest days to emergence (12.4 days) were recorded from a plot sown on October 5th, while longest days to 50% flowering (54.92 days) and physiological maturity (122.5 days) were recorded from a plot sown on September 14th. Moreover, varieties had significant effect on days to physiological maturity of chickpea. Longest days to physiological maturity (133 days) were recorded from local variety and early days to physiological maturity (113.3 days) was recorded from Dalota variety. The main effects of sowing date and variety were significant on plant height, as the tallest plant height (42.75 cm) was recorded from September 24th sown plants. Similarly, the tallest (41.42 cm) plant was recorded from Dalota variety. In addition, the highest number of primary branches (6.83) and secondary branches (16.42) per plant were recorded from Dalota variety, while the lowest number of primary branch (5.5) and secondary branches (8) were scored from Ejere and Teji varieties, respectively. Highest grain yield (2415.4 kg ha-1) was obtained from plots sown on September 14th whereas Dalota variety produced highest grain yield (2051.25 kg ha-1). Hence, Dalota variety and September 14th sowing date emerged as best among all tested treatments and can be recommended for chickpea production in the study area and similar agro-ecologies. Conclusive recommendation could be obtained if the study is repeated at more locations and seasons in the future.