干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Screening and agronomic performances of 45 chickpea genotypes (Cicer arietinum L.) submitted to a limited hydrous pattern. In Tunisia, chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important legume grain crops. It is conducted during two periods of the year either as winter crop or as spring crop. The last type has the advantage to occupy the soil in a short period of time (February to June). However, it exposes plants to water stress. Consequently, vegetative development and grain yield are negatively affected in quantity and quality. In order to study plant reactions to drought conditions, 45 genotypes of chickpea (C. arietinum) were tested in delayed spring culture under a water stressed treatment. A field trial was carried out in the region of Chott Mariem belonging to the semi-arid superior. The drought stress is established at the beginning of flowering stage and was accentuated during the grain filling and the seed maturity phases. To evaluate the chickpea genotypes stress tolerance, parameters related to the vegetative development, the seed yield, the water use efficiency and the thermal duration were measured. The analysis of the grain yield and its components revealed that there is a biological diversity among the genotypes tested. The 45 accessions can be divided into three groups. The first one is composed of ’Kabuli’ chickpea genotypes which are sensitive to drought stress. They are not appropriate for spring crop in semi-arid regions. The second group is composed of genotypes, of which two are of ’Desi’ type, that are tolerant to drought stress and can be recommended for a spring crop in the superior semi-arid zones. The last group of genotypes is moderately sensitive to drought stress. They can be led as spring crop in the semi-arid superior zones with complementary irrigations.