Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important pulse crop of Maharashtra state and occupied an area of 7.56 lakh ha (2001- 2002) with a annual production of 4.51 lakh tones with an average productivity of 596 kg/ha (Anonymous, 2002). Studies under All India Co-ordinated Pulses Improvement Project (AICPIP) in different parts of the country has shown that seed inoculation with efficient strain of Rhizobium increases the grain yield of legumes (Rewari, 1985). Effectiveness of the symbiotic nitrogen fixation depends upon the proper establishment of inter-relationship between a particular legume and a specific strain of Rhizobium (Dart et al., 1976). Variability among Rhizobium strains of the same species exists for biological nitrogen fixation (Khurana and Dudeja, 1981). Choice of the strain is very critical task for the success of bio-inoculant. Therefore, efficiency of Rhizobium strains received from AICPIP, Kanpur was evaluated at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri (India) during Rabi 2000- ’01 and 2001-’02

Keywords: Chickpea, Rhizobium