Capturing genetic variability in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) germplasm, released varieties, and advanced breeding lines under heat stress environment in North Indian climatic condition

Abstract

Temperatures beyond optimal level are detrimental to growth and production in chickpeas. Aiming at capturing genetic variability
and identifying potential heat-tolerant chickpea genotype, a panel of 110 chickpea lines were evaluated in field under normal sown
(non-stress) and late sown (heat-stress) environments for various phenological, yield and yield-related traits over two consecutive years
under field conditions. Significant genetic variability for the phenological and yield related) was recorded under both non-stress and
heat-stress conditions for both years. Seed yield/plant had strong positive correlations with number of pods/plant and harvest index
under heat stress, indicating selection of plants with high pods/plant and seed yield/plant could help develop a heat-tolerant chickpea
line. Based on the yield and yield-related traits, JG74, JAKI9218, Pusa 547, GNG1958, RVG202, RSG11, RSG931, RSG10, GG2, and Pusa240
genotypes were classified as promising lines under heat stress environment. The identified diverse heat-tolerant genotypes may be
used as a potential source in chickpea breeding programme for enhancing heat tolerance and useful genetic variability.