Effect of seed coating substance (Genius Coat Disco Cereal AG L-439) on seed yield and yield component of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in central highlands of Ethiopia

Among the challenges of achieving increased chickpea production in Ethiopia is absence of seed quality enhancement technologies. The Genius Coat Disco Cereal AG L-439 is among the seed coating products produced by INCOTEC Company and introduced in our country. The current study was conducted to examine the efficacy of ‘Genius Coat’ on seed yield and to determine its effective dosage for chickpea seed production. The field experiment was conducted at Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center and at Akaki and Minjar sub-sites in 2016. Pre-basic chickpea seed of Habru variety was used for the trial. The treatment consists of the company's recommendation rate (100%), 50% below and above the recommended rate, pure Apron Star and untreated control and laid out in RCBD with four replications. The analysis result for the collected data of yield and yield attributing parameters indicated that the tested seed coating substance at three different rates was found effective to increase the yield of chickpea. The yield advantage of 50% below the recommended rate was 0.58 tons/ha and 0.55 tons/ha over the control and standard check, respectively. Likewise, the recommended rate improved seed yield by 0.43 and 0.40 tons/ha when compared with the control and standard check, respectively. The simple combined correlation analysis result indicated that seed yield was positively, strongly and significantly associated with the stand count, days to maturity and biomass yield. Soil analysis result showed that the present seed coating substance had no significant effect on soil chemical properties. Therefore, Genius Coat at 50% below the recommended rate had a better yield advantage than the other rates and check treatments thus should be promoted. Key words: Chickpea, genius coat, seed yield.