Field trial was conducted during the season 2007 – 2008 to study the effect of three sowing dates (15/10 , 1/11 and 15/11) , three different depths of sowing (3 , 6 and 9 cm) and interaction between (sowing dates × sowing depths) on growth characteristics, yield and it's components of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in the gypsiferous soil . The ( R.C.B.D.) with three replications was used in this experiment.
The results indicated that the sowing date at 15/10 caused a significant increase in the plant height, No.of branch/plant, No. of days from sowing to 50% flowering and No. of days from sowing to maturity. While sowing date at 1/11 caused a significant increase in the 100 seed weight, plant dry weight and seed yield (645 kg/ha). No significant effect found among the sowing dates for No. of pods/plant .
The sowing depths. 6 and 9cm did not show significant differences in the plant height, No. of pods/plant, plant dry weight and seed yield and they surpassed significantly on the depth 3cm in these characters. No significant effect found among this sowing depths in No. of branches/plant and No. of days from planting to 50% flowering , while 9cm sowing depth surpassed significantly in No. of days to maturity and 100 seed wight .
A significant interaction were found between (sowing dates × sowing depths) in all the characters studied, whereas the interaction between sowing date 1/11 and sowing depth 9cm gave the highest seed yield (670 kg/ha) and did not significant difference with interaction between sowing date 1/11 and sowing depth 6cm (664 kg/ha) .
The study recommended sowing the Chicpea in 1/11 on depth 6 ـ9cm in the gypsiferous soil .