AGRONOMIC BEHAVIOR OF CHICKPEA GENOTYPES IN DELAYED SOWING AT THE MAYO VALLEY, SONORA, MÉXICO

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is sown on to 4640 ha annually in the Mayo Valley, Sonora and 7890 tons are harvested and devoted to the international market. Among the main production constraints are the lack of stability in the yield and quality of grain caused by root rot (Fusarium sp.), gray mould (Botritys cinerea), and bollworm (Heliothis sp.), which become highly damaging by the climatic yearly variations. The study was done to measure the effect of a late sowing date on the yield and quality of chickpea grain, and to evaluate the relation of climatic conditions with phenology, flowering and fruiting dynamics, as well as on the diseases incidence in several genotypes. Four varieties (‘Blanco Sinaloa-92’, ‘Jamu-96’, ‘Progreso-95’, and ‘Evora-98’), and four lines (Lav-205, Cuga-300, T-2001 and L397E2) were used. Late planting date was on January 23rd, 2004. The genotypes L397E2, ‘Progreso-95’, ‘Jamu-96’ and T-2001 had a greater yield than ‘Blanco Sinaloa-92’ used as control. The line L397E2 showed a better performance in grain yield, percent of reported grain size, earliness and fruit set. ‘Progreso-95’ displayed a minor incidence of diseases and high yield but also had the smallest grain size. The study of flowering dynamics and fruit setting showed that the early genotypes were most productive because of their greater pod set than those of longer growing cycle, under delayed sowing dates. Grain yield was significantly and positively associated with plant height (r = 0.51) and negatively with physiological maturity and flower abortion (r =-0.80 and r = -0.40, respectively).