Evaluation of response of chickpea genotypes to water deficit at different growth stages by using drought tolerance indices

In order to investigate the effects of water deficit at different growth stages of chickpea genotypes، determining the best drought tolerance index and genotypes، an experiment carried out in the Saatlu Agricultural Research Station of Uromia in 2008-2009. The experiment was split plot based on the randomized complete blocks design with four replications، in which، four levels of irrigation as the main plots based on water withholding at branching، flowering and podding stages and normal irrigation، and genotypes including Ghazvin، Bivanich، FLIP97-111C، FLIP99-1C، FLIP98-134C، ILC3279 and FLIP98-143C as subplots. Results showed that water deficit decreased number of seeded pods، seeds per pod، seed weight per plant، seed yield and total dry matter، significantly. There were significant differences among varieties in all measured traits. Indices of stress tolerance (STI)، mean productivity (MP)، geometric mean productivity (GMP) and harmonic mean (HAR) showed that chickpea in branching stage and FLIP99-1C and FLIP98-143C lines were the most tolerant to water deficit. Correlation coefficients between indices and seed yield indicated that for screening chickpea genotypes، STI، MP، GMP and HAR indices were suitable. Principal component analysis showed that with the base of two factors، withholding irrigation at branching stage in Ghazvin cultivar was in desired area of biplot. Withholding irrigation at branching stage، seeds per pod resulted as the most important component in determining of seed yield.