A field experiment was conducted at Kermanshah in Iran to evaluate the effects of planting density and variety on grain filling, yield and yield components of chick pea. The factorial experiment was arranged in a completely randomized block design with four replications per treatment. Three varieties (Jam, ILC-482 and 12-60-31) and three levels of planting density (19, 28 and 57 plants/ m2) were considered. The trend of grain filling, yield, yield components and agronomic characteristics (e.g. biomass yield, harvest index, number of pods per plant, number of grains per plant, number of nodes per main stem, plant height, number of branches per plant, weight of 100 grains, distance between 1st pod to soil) and phenology stages of the chickpea varieties were calculated based on photo growing degree day (PHOTO GDD). The results showed that the maximum rate of grain filling was at a density of 28 plants/m2 and on cultivar ILC-482. Grain yield, number of pods per plant, number of grains per plant, weight of 100 grains, plant height, distance between 1st pod to soil were significantly affected by variety and density. The number of branches per plant was affected by density while the number of nodes per main stem and the harvest index were affected more by the variety. The maximum photo growing degree-day was on cultivar 12-60-31 while the maximum grain yield was at a density of 28 plants.

Key words

Planting density, chickpea, yield, yield components, grain filling

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