Tolerance evaluation of chickpea accessions to drought stress under different irrigation systems during generative growth stage

To evaluate the generative growth responses to drought stress, five chickpea lines (accession numbers of 4488, 4283, 4348, 5132 and 5436 selected as promising lines among available 362 lines in collection through previous experiments) were treated by different irrigation gradient systems during generative growth stage. The irrigation gradient treatments were: 5, 10, 15 and 20 percent of reduced water supplies compared to control (moisture kept at field capacity level) at two-week intervals, from flowering commencement to physiological maturity stages. The treatments were arranged in split plots and were compared in a Complete Block Design with four replications. Irrigation gradients were assigned to main plots and chickpea lines to subplots. Chickpea lines showed different reactions to irrigation gradient. Accessions No. 4283 and 4488 produced the most biomass and seed yield (respectively) averaged over all irrigation treatments. Accession No. 4283 showed a severe reaction to irrigation gradient compared to other accessions, while accession No. 4488 was more stable in biomass and seed production across all irrigation gradients. Pod and seed numbers per plant were the most important components contributing to seed yield.