TECHNIQUES OF GROWING CHICKPEA UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THE STEPPE CRIMEA
Long-term summarized results of experimental research concerned technological methods of chickpea cultivation under the conditions of steppe Crimea are considered in the article. These techniques include: seeding time, seeding methods, and seeding rate, as well as the efficiency of pre-sowing seed treatment with microbial preparations based on the effective strains of nodule bacteria and microorganisms. Choice of the optimum seeding time is the main factor in the issue of leguminous crops cultivation, especially under the conditions of moisture deficiency. Depending on the seeding time, seeds can fall into the best or the worst conditions: soil moisture and air moisture, temperature regime. Seeding time greatly influences on the phase of plant development, which affects the biochemical processes that occur in plants and seeds. Therefore, studying of seeding time is essential to obtain the high-quality yield. It has been established that under the conditions of steppe Crimea the most productive seeding time is the early one (end of March). The delay with the seeding leads to the harvest shortage, i.e. reduction of yield was observed when sowing was done during the first decade of April and reached 14,4%, and when sowing was done during the second decade of April the reduction was up to 33,3%. When studying the different seeding methods and seeding rate, it was established that seeding rate has a significant influence on the chickpea productivity nevertheless what seeding method is used. The optimum seeding rate for the broadcast sowing is 600-800 thousand pieces per hectare, for wide-row sowing with 45 and 60 cm spaces between rows the optimum seeding rate is 400-500 thousand pieces per hectare. Our studies have shown the possibility to increase the chickpea productivity thanks to pre-sowing seed treatment with nitrogen-fixing strains of nodule bacteria (Rhizobofit) and with other preparations based on microorganisms. Inoculation of chickpea seeds with selective strains increases seed productivity from 0,1 to 0,16 t/ha or by 10,4-14,6%. Combined application of microbial preparations ensures resistance to diseases and increases yield by 14,8-19,8%.