Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) response to zinc, boron and molybdenum application under field conditions

In Spain—Europe's leading chickpea producing country—chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is mainly cultivated on non-irrigated soils with low native fertility. This study was carried out from 2006 to 2008 in the province of León, Spain, under acid soil field conditions, with the aim of determining whether the application of zinc (Zn), boron (B) and molybdenum (Mo) improved chickpea growth and yield on acid soils. A split-split-plot design with three replications was used. Chickpea responded only to the Zn and Mo applications. At maturity, plants fertilized with Zn and with Mo had a greater total dry matter production and seed yield, mainly due to an increment in pod dry matter. For Zn, the highest yield was obtained with 2 mg Zn per plant (6.80 g plant⁻¹), whereas for Mo the highest yield was obtained with 1 mg Mo per plant (6.73 g plant⁻¹). Interaction was observed between B and Mo, interpreted as indicating that Mo can counteract the effect of B application.