Response of Chickpea to Dual Inoculation with Rhizobium and Arbuscular Mycorrhiza, Nitrogen and Phosphorus

The response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) to dual inoculation with Rhizobium (R) and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) was studied on spore abundance and colonization of AM, nodulation, growth, yield attributes and yield. In all the parameters of the crop the performance of Rhizobium inoculant alone was superior to control. Dual inoculation with Rhizobium and AM in presence of P performed the best in recording number of spore $100g^{-1}$ rhizosphere soil and root colonization, number and dry weight of nodule, dry weights of shoot and root, number of pod $plant^{-1}$, number of seed $pod^{-1}$, seed and stover yields of chickpea. The maximum seed yield of 3.33 g $plant^{-1}$ was obtained by inoculating chickpea plants with Rhizobium and AM in association with P. From the view point of nodulation, growth, yield attributes and yield of chickpea, dual inoculation with Rhizobium and AM along with P was considered to be the balanced combination of nutrients for achieving the highest output from cultivation of chickpea in Shallow Red Brown Terrace Soil of Bangladesh.