Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India
1Present address: Central Institute for Cotton Research, 95, New Ramdaspeth, Nagpur, 440010.
The limited and specific adaptation characteristics of chickpea were analysed in 17 varieties including land races of known adaptation. An assessment of genetic variation and the extent of genotype-environment interactions was done over two years. A total of 27 characters related to productivity and adaptation, including the periodic activity of nitrate reductase (NR) and the pattern of protein accumulation in the plant and the young seed, were scored.
Significant varietal differences were observed for most of the characters, particularly for biochemical attributes, during both the years. The area-specific nature of adaptation generally reported in this crop was confirmed. Adaptability, as measured by regression analysis, could not be related to any specific developmental, biochemical or agronomical attribute studied. High NR activity observed at flower initiation could have played a role in the intraspecific differentiation of chickpea, as increased seed size could not have been possible without efficient nutrient uptake. Significant and positive correlation obtained between NR activity at flower and pod initiation stages and NR activity and the duration of flowering and the negative correlation between NR activity and days to flower initiation tend to favour of such an assumption.
The observed genetic variation for biochemical attributes and some developmental characters, NR activity at various stages, percent protein content, chlorophyll depth, days to flowerinitiation and certain other characters suggests a critical role for these in the physiological mechanisms determining adaptation in chickpea.
