TIMELY IRRIGATION ENHANCES THE YIELD AND WATER PRODUCTIVITY OF CHICKPEAS IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Groundwater level declination is a significant issue in various regions of Bangladesh, primarily due to intensive irrigation in agriculture. To address this growing problem, a potential solution is to shift from cultivating water-intensive crops to less water-demanding crops like chickpeas in water-scarce areas, which could prove to be an effective strategy. With this view, a 3-year long (from 2015 to 2018) experience was done in two different locations (Gazipur and Rajshahi) to investigate the response of irrigation to the growth, yield, and water use of chickpeas. There were four treatments (each has three replications), namely, T1 = rainfed, T2 = one irrigation at post-sowing (20-22 days after sowing (DAS)), T3 = one irrigation at pod development (80-85 DAS) stage, and T4 = two irrigations each at post-sowing and pod development stages. The results showed that relying solely on rainfall was insufficient for satisfactory chickpea yield in Gazipur, emphasizing the need for irrigation. Conversely, if Rajshahi receives ample rainfall, there might not be a requirement for irrigation. Applying irrigation twice (at the post-sowing and pod-filling stage) in Gazipur and once (at the pod-filling stage) in Rajshahi, along with approximately 82.45 mm of irrigation in Gazipur and 75.94 mm in Rajshahi, resulted in enhanced growth and yield of chickpeas. The study findings indicate that chickpeas can be effectively cultivated with no or minimum irrigation, thereby reducing the risks of water-table mining in drier parts of the country.