LAUSR

Kunal, Sharma P. (2012): Influence of pesticide-treated seeds on survival of Mesorhizobium sp. Cicer, symbiotic efficiency and yield in chickpea. Plant Protect Sci., 48: 37–43. Chemical seed protectants are used to reduce the adverse effects of seedling fungal pathogens or insect attack on legume pastures and crops. Chickpea seeds are also frequently treated with Mesorhizobium sp. Cicer inoculant to promote effective symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF), which seems to be a cost effective measure. The popu lation of viable Mesorhizobium sp. Cicer on seeds of chickpea declined with time of storage (4°C) in pesticide treated and untreated chickpea seeds in vitro . A significant reduction in chickpea rhizobia was observed in seed treatment with Captan followed by Endosulfan and Chlorpyrifos. In a field experiment during the winter sea son 2006–2008, no difference in the emergence count of chickpea plants was observed. Treatments inoculated with Mesorhizobium sp. Cicer alone or along with Captan, Chlorpyrifos or Endosulfan showed improved plant growth and symbiotic parameters (plant height, nodulation, leghaemoglobin content, and nitrogen content) in comparison with the uninoculated control treatment. Significantly higher grain yield (9.6%) was observed in the treatment inoculated with Mesorhizobium sp. Cicer alone as compared to the uninoculated control. A nonsignificant difference in grain yield among treatments where Mesorhizobium