Correcting molybdenum deficiency of chickpea in the High Barind Tract of Bangladesh |
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Authors: | Chris Johansen Abu M Musa J V D K Kumar Rao David Harris M Yusuf Ali A K M Shahidullah Julie G Lauren |
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Institution: | 1. 15 Westgate Court, Leeming, WA, 6149 Australia;2. People's Resource Oriented Voluntary Association (PROVA), B/251, Kazihata, Rajshahi, Bangladesh;3. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru 502 324, Andhra Pradesh, India;4. CAZS Natural Resources, College of Natural Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG UK;5. On‐Farm Research Division (OFRD), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur‐1701, Bangladesh;6. Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, 917 Bradfield Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853 USA |
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Abstract: | A major limitation to chickpea grown on residual soil moisture after the harvest of rice in the High Barind Tract (HBT) of Bangladesh is acidic surface soil. A diagnostic trial conducted in the 2001/02 season showed that Mo was limiting growth and yield of chickpea. Multilocational on‐farm trials in the 2002/03 season established that Mo applied to the soil at 500 g ha–1 improved nodulation and plant growth and resulted in grain‐yield responses of 58%–173%. In addition, we tested an application method suitable for resource‐poor farmers where Mo and Rhizobium were added in the seed‐priming process. Multilocational trials in farmers' fields in 2003/04 confirmed that this was as effective as soil application of Mo, giving yield responses of 37%–90%. In each of 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons, 50 farmers implemented on‐farm evaluations of adding Mo + Rhizobium in the priming solution in operational scale plots (666 m2) across the HBT. Mean responses of up to 50%, compared to priming in water only, were obtained. These results suggest that the severe N deficiency of chickpea commonly observed in the HBT can be effectively alleviated by applying Mo and Rhizobium inoculum through a simple low‐cost technology within the scope of resource‐poor farmers. |
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Keywords: | seed priming acid soil Rhizobium inoculation nitrogen fixation on‐farm trials rice fallows resource‐poor farmers |
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