Assessment of traits determining drought and temperature tolerance in chickpea

Abstract

An attempt was made to identify the traits determining tolerance against drought and temperature in chickpea through correlation and path coefficient analyses by evaluating 16 genotypes in six environments created by adjusting the moisture availability for three subsequent years. Genotypes as well as environments differed significant for seed yield, drought tolerant index, accumulated heat units of different phenophases and all the studied yield component traits except genotype for harvest index and pods per plant. Seed filling period, pods per plant and dry matter accumulation responded to soil moisture availability while flowering period, reproductive period, 100- seed weight and harvest index were least influenced. ICC 4958, Pusa 362 and KPG 59 appeared as drought tolerant genotypes. Among them, ICC 4958 and Pusa 362 required least accumulated heat units whereas KPG 59 required comparatively high being temperature susceptible. Dry matter accumulation, harvest index and, 100-seed weight showed positive and significant association with seed yield in all the environments. Drought tolerance index exhibited negative and significant association with seed filling period, pods per plant, 100-seed weight, heliothermal unit at flowering and seed filling, photo thermal index at flowering and growing degree-days during reproductive periods. Path analysis revealed that dry matter accumulation, harvest index and 100-seed weight were the major and stable yield factors under both moisture stress and non-stress environments whereas flowering, seed filling and reproductive periods along with the above components determined the seed yield in moisture stress environment. Thus, synchronous flowering, shorter seed filling & reproductive period and optimum capacity for heat accumulating units along with better drymatter accumulation might form the essential components of an ideal plant type of chickpea for dry land