Effect of time of sowing and variety choice on chickpea yield – Trangie 2012

Abstract

Key findings • Chickpea time of sowing trials conducted at Trangie in 2011 and 2012 have shown that mid May to early June is the optimum period to plant current chickpea varieties with Jimbour[PBR] type maturity. Early planting (early May) can increase the risk of exposure to disease infection events, as occurred in 2011 (resulting in lower yields) but not in 2012. Planting chickpeas in mid-late June has shown significantly lower yields in both the 2011 and 2012 trials. • Varieties with Jimbour[PBR]-type maturity (e.g. PBA HatTrick[PBR] and PBA Boundary[PBR]) are ideal for the Central West region of NSW, with higher yields in both years. Within this maturity group, PBA Boundary[PBR] had the highest yield in 2012; however in 2011 yield of PBA HatTrick[PBR] was higher than PBA Boundary[PBR] due to the effects of phytophthora root rot induced by wet conditions post sowing. • In 2012, targeting a higher plant population on PBA HatTrick[PBR] (45 plants/m2) had significantly higher yields than targeting a lower plant population (15 plants/m2), regardless of sowing time.