Influence of boron and/or potassium accompanied by two irrigation systems on chickpea growth, yield and quality under sandy soil conditions

Chickpea is among the most widely grown pulse crops contributing major part in fulfilling the nutritional requirements of human diet. Thus, this study was done to evaluate the effect of foliar treatment of boron and /or potassium accompanied by either surface or subsurface irrigation system on growth, some physiological aspects (Chlo a, Chlo b, carotenoids) endogenous indole acetic acid and total soluble sugar contents), yield quantity and quality of chickpea plant at the experimental farm of the Agricultural Research Station, National Research Center, El-Nubaria district, Egypt during the winter seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. Results show that subsurface irrigation system led to significant increases in all characters of growth and yield attributes as well as, seed quality compared with surface irrigation system. Treatments of boron and /or potassium showed significant increments on chickpea growth, yield quantity and seed quality, via increments in chlolorophyll a, chlolorophyll b, carotenoids, endogenous indole acetic acid and total soluble sugar contents. However, treatment with potassium individually (500 mg/l) cause more increases than boron treatment in all the studied parameters. Moreover, B+K application caused the greatest levels of different studied seed quality (nitrogen, potassium, phosphors, crude protein, carbohydrate, phenolic and ascorbic acid contents). The interaction between subsurface water irrigation and B+K application is the most optimum and effective application for maximizing chickpea plant growth and productivity.