Effects of biostimulants on tissue and rhizospheric acid phosphatase activity of chickpea genotypes

Although the application of biostimulants to soils and plants affects their phosphatase activity, this has not been shown in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) grown under South African conditions. In this study, chickpea genotypes were grown in silty-loam and silty-clay-loam soils and supplied with Kelpak and Bontera. The leaves, roots and rhizospheric soil were collected, processed and acid phosphatase (APase) activity assayed following the p-nitrophenol method. The ICCV92944 cultivar exhibited the highest levels of intracellular activity in both soils and extracellular APase in the silty-loam soil. Leaves of the selected genotypes revealed increased APase activity than roots. The application of Kelpak increased intracellular APase activity while Bontera enhanced extracellular APase activity. The APase activity was markedly higher in chickpea grown in the silty-clay-loam soil compared to those grown in the silty-loam soil.