I - --ii

0
100
80
S60
40
0
20 - 1
.i
~0-0 Winter crop
0- - Spring crop
0_ . I I I
16.6 25 33.3
2
Plants/in
50
133
0
Figure 5
Effect of planting date and plant population on the percent interception of PAR by the canopy of ILC
482 planted in winter (Nov 19, 1980) and spring (Mar 4, 1981) at Tel Hadya. PAR measured at
advanced podding stage.
dinitrogen fixation, provided the suitable Cicer Rhizobium is present in the
medium and no other mineral nutrient is limiting the functioning of the symbiotic
association. In view of the fact that the winter planting permits the crop to be
grown in areas where chickpeas are nontraditional crop, there is every chance
that the Cicer Rhizobium may either be absent or its population may be sporadic
and too low for effective (levelopment of nodulation in the crop. Such a crop is
likely to suffer fron nitrogen deficiency unless attempts are made to introduce
the Rhizobiun along with the seed in these areas. Aspects of symbiotic dinitrogen
fixation have been dealt with in details in another paper in this volume.
Hence only the nitrogen nutrition aspect will be presented here.