Effect of Foliar Application of Iron on Growth, Nodulation and Quantity and Quality of Yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in Hamedan

This research was carried out at the Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University for two growing seasons (2011-2012). The aim of research was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of iron on growth, nodulation and quantity and quality of chickpea yield in Hamedan. A randomized complete block design with three replications and seven treatments were used (T1: control; non-foliar application, T2: foliar application of 2 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at flowering stage, T3: foliar application of 4 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at flowering stage, T4: foliar application of 2 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at podding stage, T5: foliar application of 4 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at podding stage, T6: foliar application of 2 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at flowering and podding stages and T7: foliar application of 4 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at flowering and podding stages). The effect of treatments on the most traits was significant. Based on means comparisons, lower values for traits like number of pods per plant, number of grain per plant, 1000-seed weight, biological and seed yields, number and dry weight of root nodules and iron content of seed and protein percent were obtained from control (non-foliar application) and foliar application 4 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at flowering and podding stages treatments. The highest biological yield (329 g.m-2), seed yield (152 g.m-2) protein percent (27.85%) were obtained from treatment of foliar application of 4 g.L-1 of nano fertilizer at flowering and podding stages. Therefore, foliar application of 4 g.L-1 of nano-iron chelate in both flowering and podding stages produced the highest root nodulation, agronomic indices and seed yield.