Physiological and morphological characteristics of chickpea accessions under low temperature stress

Economically important crop chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is sensitive to chilling stress, and breeding for chilling tolerance is the economic option even in countries with a high risk for drought and heat stresses. In this study, we have analyzed chilling-induced responses of ten chickpea accessions under field and growth-chamber conditions in order to screen, using phenotypic and physiological methods, for chilling tolerance. The field data analysis revealed that there were significant differences between accessions in their cold tolerance. The percent survival and cold-tolerance scores were the most important indices describing genotype tolerance to low temperature under field conditions; they can be used to assess chickpea cold tolerance. During environmentally controlled testing, the effects of low temperature regimes (−10°C for 15 and 30 min) were studied and cold tolerance was measured by electrolyte leakage from damaged leaves. The analysis of field data and cold treatments showed that two accessions, Sel 95Th1716 and Sel 96Th11439, grouped in one cluster, are good cold-tolerant genotypes (showing low scores for cold tolerance and electrolyte leakage). In comparison with ILC 8262, released as cold-tolerant accession, these genotypes showed more tolerance. Flip 00-6C, ILC 533, and Jam were less tolerant to cold stress. Thus, we have shown that as well as field studies, short-term cold treatment and electrolyte leakage assay can be used to evaluate low temperature tolerance of chickpea profitably in a short time.