Variability Among Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes Subjected to Water Stress During Flowering Stage

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the variability for seed yield
and its components in chickpea. Twelve chickpea genotypes were evaluated
in two sowing dates (mid Nov. and mid Dec.) under two levels of water
treatments at two locations (Shambat and Shendi) during the period 2004-
2008. A split-plot experiment with four replications, with main-plots
allocated for water treatment and sub-plots for the genotypes, was applied.
The water levels adopted were normal irrigation (10-12 days interval) and
water stress (withholding irrigation water for three weeks during the
flowering stage). The results showed that, the early sowing during November
gave the highest; seed yield, pod number per plant and the heaviest seed
weight. Likewise, normal irrigation gave the highest; seed yield, pod number
per plant, seed number per pod and seed weight, compared to the stress
treatment. Moreover, a wide range of genetic variability was detected for all
characters at the four environments, between the two water treatments and
among the evaluated genotypes. The genotype-water interactions at the four
environments were significant (P<0.05) for seed yield and its components,
except for number of seeds per pod at all environments. The genotypes
Rubatab and Wad-Hamid (checks) scored the highest seed yield at the four
environments and under normal irrigation, whereas Rubatab and ILC6023
scored the highest seed yield under water stress condition