Assessment of genotypic variation in chickpea Cicer arietinum L for heat sensitivity at reproductive stage involving various morpho physiological and yield related traits

Abstract

To ensure global food security, it is essential to identify sources of heat tolerance. Under global climate change, high-temperature stress is becoming a major threat to crop yield. Rising temperatures have a significant negative impact on food crops, particularly chickpeas. In our study, we assessed 39-chickpea genotypes for heat tolerance under outdoor conditions and validated the findings in a controlled growth chamber environment to identify high-temperature-tolerant lines. Based on reproductive, physiological, and yield-related traits, we selected both heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive genotypes. To better understand the mechanisms of heat tolerance, we conducted a detailed analysis of contrasting genotypes, encompassing morpho-anatomical, physiological, biochemical, reproductive, and yield traits. Additionally, we investigated chickpea metabolites and identified pathways related to heat tolerance. The genotypes Pant G-186, ICC- 92944,RSG-931,GNG-1499,RSG-945,GNG-2171,and PUSA-547 performed best under heat stress, while genotypes PDG-3,CSG-8962, GNG-663,RSG-931,GNG-2299,GNG-2207,andICC-10685were most sensitive. In summary, this study highlights the importance of developing heat-tolerant chickpea cultivars and emphasizes the need for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms underlying heat stress responses in chickpeas. newline