ABSTRACTChick pea (Cicer arietinum L. ) is an important legume crop in Ethiopia.

However, the productivity of the crop is very low due to a number of constraints out of which soil nutrient depletion is a serious problem. Field experiment was conducted in 2015/16 in Goro, Bale Zone, Oromia Regional State to determine the effectiveness of Rhizobium strains and phosphorus fertilizer application on two cultivars of chickpea (Arerti and Habru).

The thirty treatments included: two Rhizobial inoculants (CP EAL 18 and CP EAL 29), five P rate (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg P ha-1); and two cultivars of chickpea (Arerti and Habru). The experiment was set up in split plot design with factorial arrangement of two varieties of chick pea on the main plots and five levels of P and three types of Rhizobium in the subplot.

The nodulation rating, nodule volume and color were not significantly affected due to varieties. However, significant variation (P <0.

001) was observed in NNPP and NDW between varieties of chick pea, maximum NNPP and NDW was obtained from Arerti variety. All the nodulation parameters were significantly (P<0.

001) affected due to rhizobium inoculation and P except the nodule color. .