Chickpeas in the steppe zone of the Middle Volga

The article examines the effect of different seed-ing rates and methods of chickpea crop on produc-tivity. Рrotein problem in agriculture is becoming more acute. The diet of animals per 1 feeding unit contains no more than 80-85 digestible protein in-stead of 105-110, the most meaningful content legumes amino acids, which also have high per-centage and the protein content in the seeds and the leaves - in 1.5 - 3 times more than cereals. The seeds of chickpea protein contains 21-30 % of the set of all essential amino acids. The experi-mental part of the work was carried out in the steppe region of Samara Neftegorsk district area. The soil cover of the site is typical for this area and is represented by ordinary black humus, medium loam. The humus horizon varies from 20 to 23, the humus content of 4.2 %, the soil solution reaction is close to neutral pH 6.6. Movable phosphorus and po-tassium content of the exchange 75 and 175 mg / kg of soil. It is best suitable arable soil area periodically insufficient moisture. The density of the soil in a layer of 0.5 m is 1.1 g/cm3, respectively, the solid phase is 2.6-2.7 g/cm3, the minimum soil moisture in the upper few feet of 25.8 %, and for a layer 0.5-1.0 meters of 20.1 %. When used for research field experience. The best period of sowing chickpea in the steppe zone of the Middle Volga region the first decade of May. Chickpea seed rate with drill seed-ing method (15 cm) - 1 mln germinating seeds per hectare in wide-seeding method of sowing (30 cm) - 0.5 mln/hectare.