RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOME PLANT GROWTH PARAMETERS AND GRAIN YIELD OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) DURING DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES

Relation between some plant growth parameters (Leaf Area Index (LAI), Net Assimilation Rate (NAR), Relative Growth Rate (RGR), Leaf Area Ratio (LAR), Leaf Area Duration (LAD) and Crop Growth Rate (CGR)) with biomass and grain yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) during four growth stages (slow vegetative growth stage, linear vegetative growth stage, flowering stage and grain filling stage) were studied in the field experiments conducted at Bornova, Izmir. There was a wide variation among genotypes for all the growth parameters during the growth stages. Highest values of LA! and LAD were recorded for the period of linear vegetative growth stage; RGR and LA R through slow vegetative growth stage; NAR and CGR during flowering stage. Significant correlations among most of the growth parameters were found during all the growth stages. Most of the growth parameters except NAR also showed significant correlation with biomass. Mean grain yield was 1.86 t ha(-1) that varied between 1.41 and 2.27 t ha(-1) for different varieties.