Effect of temperature on seedling growth under impeding conditions

Studies were carried out under controlled laboratory conditions to evaluate the seedling growth capacities of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties Pusa 209 and H208 at constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25 and 28°C (±0.5°C) and of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) variety Prabhat at 20 and 28°C (±0.5°C). Seedling growth at any given time was found to depend on ‘a’, the growth at no impedance, and ‘b’, the impedance growth factori.e., decrease in growth with increase in impedance, and on temperature. The optimum temperature for chickpea was found to be in the range of 20 to 24°C for better seedling growth characteristics, whereas for pigeonpea, 28°C was found to be more congenial than 20°C. Chickpea varieties differed in their response to temperature. Part of the M. Sc. thesis of first author submitted to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, India.