Development of inter-specific hybrid between Cicer arietinum and C. judaicum and characterization of interspecific derivatives for economic traits

Interspecific hybrids between Cicer arietinum and C. judaicum were obtained using embryo rescue techniques. In vitro techniques of rescuing embryo/ovule were standardized by applying gibberellic acid (50 ppm/l) at the base of flower pedicil for the next three days after pollination to circumvent post-zygotic barriers. The F_1s were partially fertile and showed normal meiotic behavior and intermediate morphological characters.These partially fertile F_1s were advanced to F₂ and F₃ generations and subsequently advanced to F₁₀ generation using single pod descent method. Wide range of genetic variability was recorded for different qualitative (plant growth habit, pod and seed characters) and quantitative (days to flowering, plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/pod, number of seeds/pod, 100 seed weight and yield per plant) characters in F₂ generation. Genotypic and phenotypic correlations of grain yield/plant were found positive and significant with all the component characters namely, plant height (0.275 & 0.208), number of branches/plant (0.494 & 0.325), number of pods/plant (0.922 & 0.687), number of seeds/plant (0.292 & 0.230) and 100-seed weight (0.415 & 0.373). Several promising interspecific derivatives were isolated for yield and its component traits. The derivatives may be used in breeding programme for improvement of chickpea.