Mechanical damage to chickpea seeds as affected by NPK fertilization

Abstract

The aim of research was to determine the effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers onthe some physical properties and mechanical damage to chickpea seeds under impact. The martial for tests was from a field experiment with varied levels fertilization with nitrogen (0 and 50 kg/ha, N), phosphorus (0 and 100 kg/ha, P2O5) and potassium (0 and 100 kg/ha, K2O). The variation of the mechanical damage was analyzed depending on the mode of varied fertilization, seed moisture content and impact energy. It was found that the chickpea seeds were bigger with NPK supply. The effects of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers rates on the mechanical damage to chickpea seeds was significant at 1% probability level (P<0.01) and increased its hardness and resilience therefore caused the better resistance to impact damage. Potassium fertilization ratehad the most influence and phosphorus fertilization rate had the least. The effect of the nitrogen fertilizer rate was not significant (P>0.05). Harvesting chickpea seeds at higher moisture content and lower impact energy should give lower breakage when NPK is supplied, as well as when no NPK is supplied.