Physio-Biochemical and Yield Response of Chickpea Genotypes under Salinity and High Temperature Stress

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out with six chickpea genotypes viz. KPG-59, IPC-2013-74 and NDG-15-6 (tolerant group); and KWR-108, BG-3075 and BG-3076 (susceptible group) to study the responses of these genotypes under salinity stress (4.20 dSm-1) with normal sowing, high temperature (HT) stress with late sowing and their combination (saline soil + late sowing), and compared with control (non-stress) condition based on several physio-biochemical traits such as malondialdehyde content (MDA), membrane stability index (MSI), relative water content (RWC) and proline in leaf at reproductive stage; and seed yield after harvesting. Both salinity and HT individually and in combination significantly affected the traits studied. Among the parameters, MDA increased under stress treatments over control, while MSI and RWC decreased for the same. However, combined stress exhibited hypo-additive effects for these parameters which might be due to developed cross-tolerance while facing salinity and HT stress in sequence. Increase in proline content under stress over control is an indication of osmotic adjustment in response to stress. These results might be good criteria in development of genotypes with improved response in terms of physio-biochemical traits and yield.