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 variabilityand 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 yearsunder field conditions. Significant genetic variability for the phenological and yield related) was recorded under both non-stress andheat-stress conditions for both years. Seed yield/plant had strong positive correlations with number of pods/plant and harvest indexunder heat stress, indicating selection of plants with high pods/plant and seed yield/plant could help develop a heat-tolerant chickpealine. Based on the yield and yield-related traits, JG74, JAKI9218, Pusa 547, GNG1958, RVG202, RSG11, RSG931, RSG10, GG2, and Pusa240genotypes were classified as promising lines under heat stress environment. The identified diverse heat-tolerant genotypes may beused as a potential source in chickpea breeding programme for enhancing heat tolerance and useful genetic variability.