Agricultural and Biological Research

Exploring genetic variation based on drought-induced phenotypic alterations during reproductive stages in Desi and Kabuli types of chickpea

Alireza Taleei*, Jalal Shaabani

Global warming and enhanced drought are predicted in the future; hence, identification of appropriate varieties adapted to the assumed changes is imperative. This study investigated the effects of water scarcity in reproductive stages as well as distinct responses to drought stress across sixty elite genotypes of Desi and Kabuli types of chickpeas. The estimated genotypic effects were detected significant at both limited and full irrigation conditions for GY, GN, GW, and SDM; however, these genotypic effects had smaller values than environmental effects except in GW. The SDM and GW in water-limited conditions showed a significant positive relationship with those of full irrigated at both chickpea types. GMP index provided the most positive correlations with GY for both Kabuli and Desi types either under limited or full-irrigated conditions. The biggest direct effect on GY was represented by SDM for Kabuli at both conditions as well as Desi chickpeas in limited water conditions, while GN was the most ones in full-irrigated Desi chickpeas. The ideal genotypes, 25 and 321, as Kabuli and Desi chickpeas, respectively, were detected with high stable and high GY. The present study facilitates the understanding of the genetic basis of phenotypic responses of Kabuli and Desi chickpeas, also helps to accelerate chickpea breeding for more adaptation to the terminal drought stress.