Field experiment was carried out during the two successive seasons (2015-2016 and 2016-2017)
at Sids Research Station, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Bani Swif Governorate, Egypt, to evaluate the
response of some new chickpea genotypes cultivated under Egyptian soil conditions for rhizobial inoculation
alone or in combination with foliar inoculation of Pink Pigmented Facultatively Methylotrophic bacteria
(PPFMs) as Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR). Nodulation status, some vegetative growth and
yield parameters were determined. The obtained results cleared that all chickpea genotypes tested were
positively responded to the native soil rhizobia and formed root nodules. Rhizobial inoculation alone or in
combination with foliar application of PPFMs bacteria (5 L fed-1
) scored significant increases in nodule
numbers, plant dry weight, yield per plant as well as seed yield at the both seasons as compared to untreated
treatments. Using rhizobial inoculation and PPFMs bacteria emphasized the superiority and gave of the highest
values at all tested parameters. Generally, the second season gave the highest values at all plant tested
parameters as compared to uninoculated ones. Chickpea genotypes GT3, GT4 and GT7 emphasized higher
response to cultivated under Egyptian soil conditions and gave higher values for nodules number and dry
weight, growth parameters i.e. plant dry weight and plant N-content and yield parameters i.e. yield per plant,
seed index and seed yield ton. fed1
as compared to chickpea variety G195.