Evaluation of Yield Criteria for Drought and Heat Resistance in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is usually grown under rainfed, rather than irrigated conditions, where drought accompanied by heat stress is a major growth constraint. The aim of this study was to select chickpea genotypes having resistance to drought/heat stress and to identify the most appropriate selection criteria for this. A total of 377 chickpea accessions were sown 2 months later than normal for the Antalya region (Turkey) to increase their exposure to the drought and high‐temperature conditions of a typical summer in this part of the world. Interspersed between every 10 test genotypes as benchmark genotypes, were plants of the two known genotypes ILC 3279 (drought‐susceptible) and ILC 8617 (drought‐susceptible), while ICC 4958 (known drought‐resistant) and ICCV 96029 (known very early, double‐podded) were also sown for confirmation. All plants were subsequently screened for drought and heat stress resistance. Soon after the two known susceptible genotypes had died, evaluations of the entire trial were made visually on a scale from ‘1’ (free from drought/heat damage) to ‘9’ (all plants died from drought/heat). Yield loss in many of the test genotypes and in the two known susceptible genotypes (ILC 3279 and ILC 8617) rose to 100 %. The desi chickpeas (smaller, dark seeds) were generally more drought‐ and heat‐resistant than the kabuli chickpeas (larger, pale seeds). Two desi chickpeas, ACC 316 and ACC 317, were selected for drought and heat (>40 °C) resistance under field conditions. Seed weight was the trait least affected by adverse environmental conditions and having the highest heritability, and it should be used in early breeding selections. When breeding drought‐ and heat‐resistant chickpeas, path and multivariate analyses showed that days to the first flowering and maturity to escape terminal drought and heat stresses should be evaluated ahead of many other phenological traits, and harvest index, biological yield and pods per plant for increased yield should also be considered.

Yield Components in Mung Bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]

“…Biological yield could be accepted as the most valuable characteristicamong the traits.Biological yield had the highest direct effect on grain yield (Table 3)and biological yield could be increasedvia straw yield, branches per plant andpods per peduncle. The biological yield in chickpeawas found to be the most important selection criteria for the contributing grain yield due to the highest and the positive direct effect (Canci and Toker, 2009). The more branches per plant resulted in the more pods per plant.…”

Climate Change and Heat Stress Tolerance in Chickpea

“…Delaying the planting by 2 months compared to normal in the Mediterranean climate resulted in successful identification of heat-tolerant genotypes [84]. Several heat-tolerant genotypes were identified from screening of 377 germplasm accessions.…”

Yield performance and responses studies of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)<br>genotypes under drought stress

“…Aslam et al (2008) evaluated the performance of 23 chickpea genotypes and reported significant variation in morphological, physiological, phonological characters and yield and yield components. In case of breeding drought and heat-resistant chickpea days to the first flowering and maturity should be evaluated ahead of many other phenological traits, harvest index, biological yield and pods per plant to escape terminal drought and heat stresses for increased yield (Canci and Tokar, 2009) Karadavut et al (2010) studied the some fababean genotypes across the environments and reported significant variation in yield among genotypes and also over environments. Khan et al (2010) studies genetic variability and correlation in wheat under water stress conditions.…”