An investigation was carried out during the winter and summer seasons of 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 at New Delhi, to evaluate the effect of vermicompost, biofertilizers (Rhizobium and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria), and phosphorus on 'Pusa 256' gram or chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and their residual effect on succeeding fodder maize (Zea mays L.). Application of vermicompost at 3 tonnes/ha resulted in higher dry matter (19.78 g/plant), leaf-area index (1.57), pods/ plant (27.38), seed (2.35 tonnes/ha) and straw yields (3.81 tonnes/ha) of chickpea. Dry fodder yield (7.51 tonnes/ha) of maize and total N (171.67 kg/ha) and P (28.61 kg/ha) uptake by the chickpea-maize cropping system also increased significantly with the application of vermicompost to chickpea only. Seed inoculation with Rhizobium and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria markedly enhanced growth and yield attributes, seed (2.40 tonnes/ha) and straw (3.80 tonnes/ha) yield of chickpea, fodder yield (7.61 tonnes/ha) of succeeding maize and total N (179.48 kg/ha) and P (29.06 kg/ha) uptake by the chickpea-maize cropping system over the uninoculated control. Phosphorus fertilization up to 26.4 kg P/ha to chickpea also improved growth; seed (2.46 tonnes/ha) and straw (3.92 tonnes/ha) yields of chickpea, and increased the fodder yield (7.91 tonnes/ha) of succeeding maize. The magnitude of increase in chickpea yield with vermicompost was greater when no biofertilizer was applied. Vermicompost along with 13.2 kg P/ha recorded similar yield as obtained with 26.4 kg P/ha, indicating an economy of 13.2 kg P/ha.