Abstract

This study was done to evaluate the effect of different tillage methods on chickpea yield and physical properties of the soil. The experiment was conducted during 2013–15 at farm of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Faculty, Tehran University. The experiment was set up as a split plot, randomized complete block design with four replications. Three tillage methods (conventional tillage, minimum tillage and no-tillage) and three chickpea cultivars (ILC 482, Hashem and Arman) were allocated to the main and sub-plots, respectively. Land on the test site had 60% coverage of maize residue on the soil surface. Results from comparisons of averages showed that the no-tillage treatment had higher bulk density and lower soil porosity than the other tillage treatments. The highest evaluations for germination percentage, seed yield and harvest index were observed in chickpea cultivars in the conventional tillage treatment. Higher evaluations for chickpea seed yield in the first year were observed in cultivars ILC 482 (2594.9 kg/ha) and Hashem (2434.8 kg/ha) and in the second year in cultivar ILC 482 (2496.2 kg) under conventional tillage. Traits of germination percentage, seed yield and harvest index were higher in the second year of the experiment compared to the first year in minimum tillage and no-tillage treatments. This indicated a long-term positive effect of conservation tillage on plant growth and yield.