محسن مهدیه

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.

Lentil cultivar Sepehr was first introduced as FLIP 2005-53L line through LIDTN-L-08 ICARDA international nursery and was evaluated in Gachsaran and Maragheh stations in 2007-2008 cropping season. FLIP 2005-53L line in the cropping seasons 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 was evaluated in the preliminary and advanced yield trials in Gachsaran and Khorramabad research stations. After evaluating the results of advanced experiments, this line was selected to participate in the national uniform regional yield trial (2010-2013) in Gachsaran, Khorramabad, Gonbad and Moghan research stations. Stability analysis of genotypes grain yield in this experiment showed that this line had the lowest contribution in the interaction of genotype × environment using different statistical methods and also it had the lowest mean rank values ​​for non-parametric stability parameters as well as 19% increases in the grain yield (with grain yield of 1166 kgha-1) ‌ compared to the control cultivar Gachsaran (with grain yield of 978 kgha-1) and therefore can be considered as "one of the most stable genotypes" with high grain yield. FLIP 2005-53L line with average grain yield of 1902 kgha-1 in farmers field in the research-extension trials, had a 15% advantage of grain yield over control cultivar Gachsaran with grain yield of 1651 kgha-1. In addition to high grain yield, good yield stability, high resistance to fusarium disease, desirable 100-seed weight (4.2 g) and suitable plant type and plant height for machine harvesting were other reasons for releasing Sepehr cultivar. Sepehr cultivar is suitable for cultivation in subtropical regions of the country including Khuzestan, Fars, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Ardabil (Moghan) and Ilam provinces.

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.

Cold stress is one of the main limiting factors for autumn planting of chickpea. The probability of presence of cold tolerant genes is considered to be higher in accessions originating from cold and highlands areas due to natural selection process. With this purpose, 812 Desi chickpea accessions of the National Plant Gene Bank of Iran (NPGBI) originated from cold and high altitude regions (altitude more than 1200 m) were screened for cold tolerance. The experiment was set up as augmented design and carried out in dryland agricultural research station in Maragheh, Iran, in 2018-19 cropping season. The reaction of these accessions to the natural cold temperatures in the region was investigated in comparison to tolerant cultivars (Saeed and Saral), and susceptible line (ILC533). Accessions were scored based on the percentage of frost resistance ratio (FRR). Considerable variation was observed among accessions, while the average FRR was estimated 30% and 50% in Saeed and Saral cultivars, respectively, and ILC533 was completely killed by frost. Frost resistance ratio ranged between 0 and 70 percent in NPGBI Desi chickpea accessions. In total, 114 accessions could survive natural cold temperatures and completed their life cycle. The accessions number KC215724, KC215443, KC215712, KC215905, KC215911, KC216223, KC215458, KC215468 and KC215856 showed 60% FRR, and accession number KC215724 obtained 70% FRR, and were more cold tolerant than the other accessions. Therefore, these accessions can be used for being selected and released as new cold tolerant cultivars as well as in chickpea breeding programs for target environments.

Weeds are a serious problem of chickpea cultivation in rain-fed areas of Iran and economic feasibility of crop production is mostly challenged by the method of control. In this study, two types of weed control strategies which are common in the country, including hand removing and hand removing + mechanical application, were compared with application of general herbicide (Glyphosite) using a specific spray machine under a minimum tillage system. The trial was carried out in the farms of five ha each, along with a two-ha weedy control at Dry land Agricultural Research Institute (DARI), Maragheh, Iran during cropping season 2018-2019. Chickpea cultivar “Adel” was sown under no - tillage system in planting arrangements of 17.5 × 52.5 cm using a direct drill machine followed by routine operations such as pesticide or fertilizer applications during the growth season. Three patches of 10 m2 of each treatment were randomly chosen as blocks and measurements were conducted on four randomly chosen 1 m2 samples as replications inside them. Data arranged as completely randomized blocks design were analyzed. Results showed that although higher yield indices belonged to hand removing or hand removing + mechanical applications, a powerful economic feasibility could be obtained by application of Glyphosate using the spray machine. It may be inferred from this study that in the absence or under situations where application of selective herbicides is non-economic, farmers can apply relatively in-expensive general herbicides to control weeds using this machine and gain acceptable income.

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.

Spring sowing, landraces cultivation, traditional cropping without machine facilities are the major factors reducing chickpea yield under dryland conditions. In order to compare mechanical sowing of chickpea (researcher recommended method) with broad-cast sowing (hand planting without controlling of the herbs), this study was carried out under farmer field (7 hectares) at East Azerbayjan (Khodajoo region) during 2011-2012 cropping season. Results of sampling from the field showed that there were significantly differences between experimental treatments in cases of seed yield, biomass yield and plant height. But there were no significantly differences between treatments from harvest index and one hundred seed weight point of view. Seed yield was 873 kg/ha in mechanical sowing method (researcher recommended method), that had significantly difference with farmer treatment (303 kg/ha). Results of this study confirmed the superiority of mechanical sowing to traditional sowing of chickpea under dryland condition.

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.

In order to compare the performance of different weed mangement methods in spring and waiting planting of rainfed chickpea this experiment was carrid out as split plot in randomized complete block design with four replications at Maragheh agricaltural research station during 2004–2005 crop season. The main factors were planting ِdates including the waiting and spring planting. Sub plots were weed control treatments with 11 levels included two levelds of handy weeding، three levels of mechanical control، five levels of chemical control and check without contol. Comparison of means showed that handy weeding was better treatment comparing chemical and mechanical control and had more grain yield at both planting dates. Among chemical weed control methods، the treatment Pursuit in waiting planting had 606. 2 kg. ha-1 grain yield was the best treatment. Among mechanical control the treatment of inter-row caltivation along with hand weeding on crop rows in spring planting had 764. 9 kg. ha-1 grain yield was the best treatment. Economical evaluation of different herbicides showed that Pursuit had %124 net economic gain in comparison with check، and with %57 net gain over full control، it was the best treatment in the waiting planting method. Full handy control with %126 and mecahanical control with %112 net gain over check were more economical treatments in the spring planting date.

Plant responses to low temperatures have been created through cold acclimation process using gene expression regulatory mechanisms. In this research, the quantitative gene expression ratio of rubisco, as an important enzyme participating in photosynthesis and cell energy production, the peroxidation of membrane fatty acids as a damage index, and the changes in proline content as one of the cell protecting mechanisms in normal, acclimation, cold stress and recovery temperatures have been assessed. Our results have shown meaningful differences between thermal treatments in studied characteristics. Increasing Rubisco gene expression accompanied by low damage index and high membrane proline has revealed the importance of Rubisco as one of the effective genes in cell response processes. At the end of cold stress situation and by starting recovery phase, Rubisco gene expression increased which is a sign of decreasing membrane damage, surveying plant cells and stabilizing a new homeostasis in chickpea. All in all, this study showed that the regulation of Rubisco gene expression related with cell protecting agents and membrane damage and can be assumed as one of the important processes in tolerant mechanisms.

Drylands cover about 6.2 million hectares of arable lands across Iran, but annual feed legumes are not present in rainfed crop rotations. Introduction of new forage cultivars with high productivity and nutritive values is a key solution in drylands development. Vd-2446 a vetch (Vicia dasycarpa) line with origin of Italy has been selected from vetch nurseries provided by ICARDA during 1995 and was evaluated along with other selected lines and local checks over 9 years in different research stations and on-farm conditions. Vd-2446 with mean 2240 kgha-1 dry biomass over environments, high stability and higher protein content compared to other lines and local check was Selected as a suitable cultivar for cultivation as a spring crop in cold areas and as a winter crop in moderate cold drylands of Iran. It was officially registered by Agricultural Research, Eduction and Extension Organization in 2009 and named Maragheh.