RESPONSE OF CHICKPEA (CICER-ARIETINUM) TO DIFFERENT FERTILIZER LEVELS, PLANT-POPULATION AND WEED MANAGEMENT ON CULTIVATORS FIELD IN NORTH-EASTERN PARTS OF KOLHAPUR, MAHARASHTRA

During the winter seasons of 1987-88 and 1988-89 a field study was conducted at 12 different locations on cultivators' field in northeastern part of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, to study the performance of 'Phule G 5' chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) with varying levels of fertilizer, plant population and weed management. Significantly superior grain yield (12.97 q/ha) was recorded under 100% recommended dose of fertilizer over rest of the treatments except 75% of recommended fertilizer dose (11.45 q/ha). Levels of plant population did not influence the grain yield significantly; however, 100% plant population resulted the maximum yield (11.85 q/ha) than the other levels of plant population. Similarly, weed management had no significant influence on grain yield during both the years.