Legume Research
Web of Science
  • Year: 2025
  • Volume: 48
  • Issue: spl

Decoding the Dynamics of Root System Architecture in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under Contrasting Phosphorus Regimes

  • Author:
  • Somsole Bharath1, Neeraj Kumar1, B.S. Patil1, Uttarayan Dasgupta1, Sudhir Kumar2, C. Bharadwaj1,*
  • Total Page Count: 11
  • Page Number: 134 to 144

1Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India

2Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India

*Corresponding Author: C. Bharadwaj, Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India, Email: chbharadwaj@yahoo.co.in

Online published on 6 February, 2026.

Abstract

Limiting phosphorus (P) availability severely reduces chickpea productivity by impairing P uptake, thereby stunting plant growth. Since root system architecture (RSA) drives P uptake efficiency yet remains insufficiently characterized in chickpea, decoding RSA plasticity under P limited conditions is crucial to uncover target traits. This understanding will accelerate breeding of chickpea lines optimized for P efficient nutrient uptake.

During 2025, 31 chickpea accessions were assessed for root-related traits under limiting and non-limiting P conditions to characterize trait variability, RSA plasticity and inter trait correlations. To integrate diverse root-related traits and rank accessions by cumulative performance under contrasting P regimes, the multi-trait genotype ideotype distance index (MGIDI) was applied to pinpoint accessions exhibiting superior overall root-trait performance.

Root-traits showed highly significant differences due to genotype and P availability (p<0.001), with genotype × P level interaction non-significant except for primary root length (PRL), which was significant (p<0.001), reflecting adaptive variation under P stress. Under limiting P conditions, growth of root-related traits of tolerant genotypes increased, indicating adaptive responses for enhanced P foraging, while average root diameter (ARD) declined, suggesting finer root formation. MGIDI identified Pusa72, BG3022 and Pusa2085 under limiting P and BG3022, Pusa 5023 and PG0515 under non-limiting P as the top performing genotypes. Furthermore, it confirmed that a superior P foraging capacity under limiting P conditions is underpinned by a combination of traits including longer total root length (TRL) and PRL, greater total surface area (TSA) and total root volume (TRV), a reduced ARD and a higher number of total root tips (TRT). These findings enhance understanding of RSA dynamics and provide a physiological foundation for genotype specific responses to contrasting P regimes.

Keywords

Chickpea, MGIDI, Phosphorus, RSA