علی سعید

Climate changes along with recent droughts and short growth period of spring planting date are important factors causing non-economic and low yield production of chickpea in Iran. Ata variety with breeding code of x03TH148 was received from ICARDA in 2004 through Chickpea International Segregation Generations Nursery. This line was evaluated in international, preliminary, advanced and adaptability yeild trials as well as studies on fusarium wilt and ascochyta blight diseases resistance at agricultural research stations and under farmers’ fields conditions in autumn planting date.  Based on results of adaptability trials, this variety had suitable agronomic and economic characteristics such as potencial for machinery harvesting, average seed yield of 886 kgha-1, with 11% superiority to Jam check cultivar and cold tolerance to -16.9°C in the areas without snow covering during emergence. The new variety with average yield of 2061 kgha-1 showed considerable superiority to Saral check (1345 kgha-1) in farmers’ fields. Considering high seed yield, tall plant height, large seed size, suitable seed protein content, tolerance to ascochyta blight and fusarium wilt diseases and marketable traits, Ata was released and recomended for autumn sowing in the temperate and cold regions of Iran.

Pulses play an important role in human nutrition. Among the pulses, chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the valuable food in terms of carbohydrates and protein. Chickpea with more than 8 million tons per year ranks third crop in the world. It is planting in 48 countries with more than 12.11 million hectares. The aim of any breeding program working for unpredictable and rainfed environments is to develop varieties with high and stable yields. Breeders take advantage of the selection for several traits to achieve maximum economic yield. The selection of genotypes based on indices using yield components was used by breeders for a long time. Breeders were believed that obtaining a linear function of traits or selection index could lead the selection of genotypes with better genetic values but including economic weights in this function have been expressed by many researchers. Simultaneous selection using characteristics with important and heritable economic values is more effective. Crop yield is a function of multiple interrelated variables and cannot be defined only by a single-variable equation. One of the most effective method is boundary lines that was introduced by Feiziasl et al, (2003 and 2010) for the first time to determine the optimum levels of plant (dryland wheat) characteristics and yield stability analysis. In this paper, “Boundary Lines” and averaging methods and PCA are used to determine optimum levels for some traits of dryland chickpea in cold areas, Iran.

More than 8000 data for each trait were collected from national and international trials conducted in Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI) experimental stations in Maragheh, Kurdestan, Zanjan, Uromieh and Ardabil from 1996- 2016. The traits were days to flowering, days to physiological maturity, grain filling period, plant height, 100 seed weight and grain yield. The Excel software was used to develop a scatter diagram showing therelationship between each trait with grain yield in each location. Two methods were used to determine the optimum value for a given trait. One is based on the boundary lines method where the maximum grain yield and the optimum value for the trait considered coincide with the crossing point of the two boundary lines. “Boundary Lines” method was used to determine the maximum limit for each trait. The scatter diagram is surrounded by two regression lines, one on the left and the other on the right called boundary lines. Then Maximum yield was obtained at the intersection of both boundary lines. The other approach, called averaging method, is based on subdividing the data into two groups: high and low yielding groups.

The boundary lines method determined the optimum levels for days to flowering, days to physiological maturity, grain filling duration, plant height and 100 seed weight which were 56.2 days for spring and 89.2 days for autumn, 89.4 days for spring and 120.8 days for autumn, 33.1 days, 29.8 centimeters and 34.0 grams, respectively. By averaging of high yielding group method, optimum values for days to flowering, days to physiological maturity, duration grain filling duration, plant height and 100 seed weight characteristics were 75.6 days, 108.8 days, 37.7 days, 30.2 centimeters, and 26.0 grams, respectively. The optimum values for plant height and 100 seed weight were almost the same in both methods while for other traits optimum levels were so different. Principle component analysis (PCA) show that, the most important traits to select high yielding chickpea varieties were days to flowering, days to physiological maturity, and plant height. These methods could help breeders to determine the range of optimum value for traits determining the adaptation of genotypes to a given environment. Boundary lines method is more reliable to determine of characteristic’s optimum levels in comparison with the averaging method.

It can be concluded that, determining the optimum levels of some dryland chickpea characteristics were closely equivalent in boundary lines and averaging methods while, for some characteristics, the estimated optimum levels by these methods were so different. Because boundary lines method is considered the data distribution process and gap data in databank, therefore, its estimations for the optimum levels of the characteristics are more accurate and reliable than the averaging of the high yielding group.

Improvement and release of last desi types chickpea cultivars (Pirouz and Kaka) goes back to more than forty years ago. Objective of this study was to achieve new high yielding, stable and adaptable chickpea genotypes to spring sowing at dry western highlands of Iran.

In this study, 18 selected desi type chickpea lines as well as two check varieties (Pirouz and Kaka), were compared at four experimental stations including Kurdistan, Maragheh, Urmia and Zanjan during three consecutive years (2015-2018). Experimets were arranged in RCB designs with three replications each year at each station. Statistical calculations including simple and pooled analysis of variance were done on seed yield data. Genotype by environment interaction was analyzed through AMMI model and GGE biplot.

Results of this study revealed that two first IPC’s were significant. Partitioning of total sum of squares indicated that effect of genotypes followed by G×E interaction and effect of environment were siginificant sources of variations in this analysis, respectively and identified different environmental groups. According to the GGE biplot analysis, a number of new genotypes were identified that were competitive with Cv. Pirouz in terms of grain yield and yield stability.

Genotype by environment interaction had vital role in identification and introduction of two promising lines with high seed yield, acceptable stability rank and favorite marketability, G2 (IDDMAR-2012-32) and G1 (IDDUR-2012-12). These genotypes can be introduced to chickpea farmers as alternative to Cv. Pirouz after complementary studies.

TThe existence of genotype– environment interaction requires that the performance of genotypes be tested in a wide range of environmental conditions so that the resulting information can increase the efficiency of their selection and introduction. For this purpose, this study using 11 selected lines from uniform national experiments, along with control figures of Saral and Anna and two advanced lines in the form of complete randomized block design with four replications and in four cold regions of the country (Maragheh, Urmia, Kurdistan And Hamedan) was carried out in three years (2016-19). The results of combined analysis showed that the effects of year, location and genotype, as well as the interaction effects on grain yield were statistically significant. The polygonal view of GGE biplot showed that the G6 genotype had the highest yield in Kurdistan location, On the other hand, G13 genotype had the highest yield in Hamedan, Maragheh and Urmia locatins and was in the second place in Kurdistan locatin which shows that this genotype has high yield stability in all stations. The ranking of genotypes based on average grain yield and stability in studied environments showed that G4 and G15 genotypes were less stable than other genotypes. Also, the G4, G10, G12 and G6 genotypes had average and relatively unstable yield. Also, the G15 genotype had low yield and low stability, and the G13 genotype had high yield and stability. In the end, it was found that genotype 13, with higher yield potential and greater stability, performed better than the two cultivars Anna and Saral as a check, and was introduced as a genotype close to ideal, and could be recommended for farming programs and adaptive research experiments.

Development of the last Dise type chickpea cultivar goes back more than 40 years. This project was performed aimed to purify and evaluate genetic variation of local Desi type chickpea landraces of Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan. During 2012-14 seed of local varieties of these locations were collected and purified physically. In 2015, 70 top lines along with two control varieties, Kaka and Pirouz were cultivated and evaluated in an 8 × 9 simple rectangular lattice design at three stations including Saral of Kurdistan, Maragheh and Urmia. During the experiment period, traits including plant standing, days to flowering, days to maturity, seed per pod, pod per plant, plant height, 100 seeds weight and seed yield were recorded. Combined analysis of variance was revealed significant differences among genotypes for days to maturity, seed per pod, pod per plant, 100 seeds weight and seed yield. Also, the interaction of genotype× location was significant for traits of days to maturity, pod per plant, plant height and seed yield. The highest seed yield was obtained by line No. 2, which was not significantly different from the check variety, Pirouz. The highest heritability was related to the 100 seeds weight, seed yield and number of days to flowering, respectively. Among these traits, grain yield had the greatest genetic advance. According to the results of cluster analysis, genotypes were grouped into four classes. These results were confirmed with 98% accuracy using discriminant function analysis. The results of principle component analysis and graphical display of biplot showed that the grain yield was positive and significant correlation with the number of pods per plant and the weight of one hundred seeds. On the other hand, genotypes No. 1, 2, 21 and 67 could be identified as the best genotypes for improvement programs.

Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses, which has the most contribution for declining crop production under dryland condition. Large seed size in chickpea is one of major factors for high market acceptance. Sameen cultivar (ILC1799) was received through Chickpea International Drought Tolerance Nursery (CIDTN) from ICARDA in 2002. Cultivar Sameen along with other lines and checks was evaluated in different experiments in moderate cold and cold regions during 2002- 2014 cropping seasons. The results showed that Sameen cultivar had 32 percent higher yield than checks during several years of evaluations. Average grain yield and 100-seed weight of Sameen cultivar during evaluations were 919 kgha-1 and 36 g, respectively. This cultivar is also resistant to fusarium wilt disease compared with checks. Therefore, spring planting of Sameen cultivar in Hamadan, Maragheh, Kordestan, Zanjan, Kermanshah, Oromieyeh and Northern Khorasan is recommended.

Based on recent studies, spring sowing of chickpea is not economical in most dryland regions of Iran due to low yield and high production expenditures. Saeed variety was introduced in cold resistance evaluating nurseries and participated in international, primary, advanced and adaptability trials in 2003 as well as studies on resistance to Fusarium wilt and Ascochyta blight disease at research stations and farmers’ fields in winter planting in 2015. Saeed average seed yield was 1450 kgha-1, that was superior to checks varieties Jam and local Ghazvin variety with 31 and 12%, respectively. The average seed yield of Jam and Ghazvin were 1115 and 1278 kgha-1,respectively. Saeed could tolerate -24 cold temperature without emergence but with snow covering and -14°C with emergence and without snow covering. The new variety Saeed, is suitable for its seed yield, well plant height (machine harvestable), high 100 seed weight, suitable seed protein and tolerance to Ascochyta blight disease. It was selected and introduced for autumn sowing in semi-cold regions and winter planting for cold dryland areas of Iran.

To investigate the effect of genotype, environment, and their interaction on seed yield of Kabuli type chickpea lines and identifying lines with high seed yield seed yield stability under different environmental conditions a field experiment was carried out. The experiment was conducted using fourteen chickpea genotypes in randomized complete bloch design with four replications in four agricultural research stations i.e. Urmia, Kurdistan , Maragheh and Hamedan during three successive cropping seasons (2010-2013) in winter planting under rainfed conditions. The highest average seed yield (1931.2 kg.ha-1) was obtained at Urmia in 2011 and the lowest (379.1 kg.ha-1) was at Hamedan in 2012. The highest and lowest average seed yield obtained in G4 (1163.5 kg.ha-1) and G2 (756.02 kg.ha-1), genotypes, respectively. Combined analysis of variance indicated that the main effect due to environments (E), genotypes (G), and genotype × environment interaction (GEI) were highly significant. The contribution of E, G, and GEI to the total variation in seed yield was about 70.61%, 3.20% and 11.21%, respectively. The GEI was partitioned using GGEbiplot model. According to singular value partitioning, the first two principal components explained PC1=43.09% and PC2=23.34% of total variations in data of seed yield. On the basis of GGE biplots, G6, G4 and G11 had high seed yield and yield stability as compared to the other genotypes. Results of this experiment divided environments to two distinct mega-environments including "Urmia and Maragheh" and "Kurdistan and Hamedan", which G6 (FLIP 99-26C) and G4 (FLIP 00-39C) can be recommended for each mega environment, respectively. In addition, G5, G7, and G8 identified as genotypes with wide adaptation for the four environments.

Using landraces and lacking new improved cultivars is one of the most important problems in chickpea rainfed cultivation in Iran. Adel cultivar was selected from International Chickpea Nursery (CIEN-W) in Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI) in 2001-2002. The new cultivar, was evaluated and tested in different yield trials in autumn planting, at different Dryland Agricultural Research Stations (Kermanshah, Ilam, Ghachsaran, Shirvan, Gholestan, Urima and Kordestan). On-farm study results showed that the means of grain yields for Adel and Azad cultivars were 1694 kg/ha and 996 kg/ha respectively. Adel cultivar can be recommended in autumn planting under moderate cold and semi warm rainfed conditions of Iran, because of suitable agronomic traits such as resistance to Ascochyta blight disease, erect plant type (suit for mechanical harvesting) and high 100 seed weight.

Selecting and introducing of cold tolerant chickpea varieties with high yielding potential as well as suitable to autumn sowing has highly importance. Sel93TH24460 is hybrid of a cross, ILC 3470 × ILC 8617 which has done at International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). This genotype has been sent to Iran in an International cold tolerance nursery in 1999 and evaluated in different trials including international, national, advanced and adaptability yield trials and disease screening as well as on-farm examinations at autumn planting of cold areas during 2000 to 2010. According to the results, Saral (Sel93TH24460) with mean yield of 1.4 tons/hectare had increased performance rather than to the check varieties, Jam, Arman and ILC 482 by 15, 34 and 10 percent, respectively, and fairly tolerated -16°C at farm conditions. At controlled conditions of cold room, the mentioned line had considerable tolerance to below zero temperatures and its superiority has confirmed at on-farm trials. Regards to these results and protein assay trial; Saral has been released as a fall sowing variety for cold dry land regions.

Sixteen chickpea lines along with Bivanij cultivar (check) were studied for seed yield stability in dryland conditions in a RCBD with four replications at Krmanshah, Lorestan, Ilam, Gachsaran and Gonbad Research Stations during three cropping seasons (2001-04). The results of combined analysis showed that interaction of genotype×year was significant in each location. Bsed on climatic conditions and analysis of homogeneity of error variances, combined analysis was done for three locations (Lorestan, Kermanshah and Ilam) and two locations (Gonbad and Gachsaran) separately. The results showed that the effects of year×location and year×location×genotype were significant at 1% level of probability. A significant difference was also found among the genotypes at 1% level of probability. Genotypes FLIP 93-93 and S96019 with 1193 and 1181 kgha-1 produced the highest seed yield in Kermanshah, Lorestan and Ilam. Genotypes FLIP 93-93 and FLIP 94-123 with 2257 and 2270 kgha-1 produced the highest yield in Gonbad and Gachsaran. The results of different statistical methods used for assessing yield stability showed that genotypes FLIP 93-93 and FLIP 94-30 in Kermanshah, Lorestan and Ilam and FLIP 94-30 and FLIP 94-60 in Gonbad and Gachsaran were the most stable genotypes

In order to evaluate effect of planting date and plant density on grain yield, yield components and some quality and morphological traits of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), an experiment was conducted at the research center of agricultural and natural resources of west Azerbaijan in Urmia rain-fed research farm during 2005-2006 growing season in a split plot arrangement, based on a completely randomized block design with four replications. The cultivar of chickpea (Qazvin local mass) was planted in three sowing dates (mid November, mid March and mid April) in main plots, and four plant densities (intra row space: 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 cm) representing (45, 34, 23 and 17 plant/m2) in sub plots. Yield, number of pod per plant, seed protein content, plant height, number of secondary branches and 100 seed weight were evaluated. Results indicated that date of sowing had a significant effect on the yield, number of pod per plant and seed protein content but was not significant for plant height, secondary branches and 100 seed weight. Highest number of pod per plant was obtained in mid November sowing (37.69) and high protein content (22.63) in mid March. Different plant density effects were also not significant on yield, plant height, secondary branches and 100 seed weight but the effect of density on the number of pod per plant and seed protein content was significant. Highest number of pod per plant was obtained in the third density (31.5), and highest protein content in the first density (22.31). The results of study indicated that between mid March planting in the density (45 plant/m2) had highest yield (1042.08kg/ha) and protein content compared with the other planting dates.