Screening of Chickpeas for Adaptation to Autumn Sowing |
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| Authors: | N O'Toole F L Stoddard & L O'Brien |
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| Institution: | Plant Breeding Institute, PO Box 219, Narrabri, NSW 2390, Australia;School of Applied Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1SB, UK |
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| Abstract: | Dry matter accumulation was determined in 27 chickpea (Cicer arietinum) lines in time‐of‐sowing field trials and in controlled‐environment chambers at day/night temperatures of 13/5, 18/8 and 23/13 °C to assess tolerance to growth‐inhibiting temperatures. Field trials were based at Narrabri, NSW, Australia, in a region of summer‐dominant rainfall where winter crops are grown on stored soil moisture. Percentage emergence was lower than expected in some field trials and in the coolest controlled environment. Subsequent dry matter accumulation showed the effects of poor crop establishment until the onset of flowering. Kabuli types were more susceptible to poor emergence than desi types. Different lines yielded the greatest dry matter production at different stages of growth. In the seedling phase, to 30 days after emergence, kabuli accessions SP1.563 and Garnet showed significantly greater dry matter accumulation than all other accessions in all controlled environments, suggesting broad adaptation. One desi accession, Gully, was almost as productive as these two kabuli accessions in the intermediate environment but was much poorer in the other environments, indicating very narrow adaptation. In the vegetative phase, the greatest relative growth rates were found in the desi accessions. Line 940‐26 was identified as highly productive in both field and controlled‐environment experiments. Dry matter accumulation was not significantly affected by temperature, although it was slightly greater in the coolest controlled environment than in the other two. The accession by temperature interaction was not significant, showing that the breadth of adaptation was similar in all accessions during this growth phase. The optimum time of sowing for dry matter accumulation was late May, 4–6 weeks before the winter solstice. The results showed that chickpeas are well adapted to germination and seedling establishment in moderate conditions, followed by vegetative growth in cooler conditions. These conditions are typical following autumn sowing in a Mediterranean or temperate environment. Kabuli types appear to have stronger growth during the seedling phase and desi types during the vegetative phase. Recombination of these traits could lead to more productive cultivars. |
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| Keywords: | Cicer arietinum cold tolerance dry matter accumulation |
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