Evaluation of world collection of kabuli chickpea for resistance to iron-deficiency chlorosis

Abstract

Iron-deficiency chlorosis is often seen in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) fields in the Mediterranean region and is particularly severe in fields where iron-deficiency susceptible cultivars are sown. Therefore, ICARDA's breeding programme field evaluated 6224 kabuli chickpea germplasm accessions for iron-deficiency chlorosis on a high pH Calcic Rhodoxeralf soil (pH 8.5, 20-25% calcium carbonate) at Tel Hadya, Syria during the winter and spring of 1987/88. Two resistant and 17 susceptible lines were grown during autumn, winter and spring of 1988/89 to examine the effect of sowing time on the appearance of the deficiency. About 99% of accessions showed no iron-deficiency symptoms. Evaluation of susceptible accessions during autumn, winter, and spring sowing revealed that iron-deficiency chlorosis was more pronounced during winter sowing. There were also significant genotype x season interactions, indicating differential responses of genotypes to time of sowing. Since the iron-deficiency chlorosis character is controlled by recessive genes, a negative selection to discard the susceptible lines from breeding material is recommended as an effective breeding strategy.