Effects of application of olive mill by-products on chickpea yield and their symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi under arid conditions

This study investigated the effects of soil amendment with olive mill by-products (Jift) on growth of chickpea and their symbiosis with Vesicular arbascular (VA) fungi. A split plot design with three replications was used, in which soil treatments (methyl bromide fumigated, fungicide, and untreated control) were assigned to main plots and soil-Jift mixtures(Jift: Soil; 0:10, 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, and 4:6) to sub plots . Results indicated that the highest seed yield (2295 kg ha-1) was attained under untreated control followed by those which treated with fungicide (2260 kg ha-1) and methyl bromide (2031 kg ha-1). When Jift was considered as main factor, seed yield was found to be increased as Jift level was increased in soil mixtures. However, the greatest Jift level at the rate of 3:7 produced insignificant increase of seed and over the yields produced at the rate of 2:8. Phosphorus content per plant was senior under untreated control plots than under methyl bromide and fungicide treatments. There was a propensity of improved phosphorus content along with increasing Jift level in soil mixtures. On the other hand, the highest Jift level (3:7) caused phosphorus content to be somewhat decreased compared to Jift at the rate of 2:8, under untreated control and methyl bromide treatment.