Morphological and physiological traits associated with seed yield in different chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes under irrigated andwater‐deficit environments

The morpho ‐physiological traits associated with seed yield in chickpea (Cicerarietinum L.) were evaluated on thirty five chickpea genotypes under twodifferent water regimes. In optimum condition, the highest correlation wasbelonged to number of seeds/plant and number of pods/plant (0.944**) andin water deficit condition, the strongest correlation of seed yield was observedwith number of seeds/plant (0.875**), number of pods/plant(0.789**) and 100 ‐seed weight (0.438**). Physiological traits (RWC, Chlorophylland Carotenoid) indicated low and positive correlation with yield, buthigh positive correlation with other seeds yields related traits in optimumcondition while, under water deficit condition, chlorophyll content and RWChad low and non ‐significant negative correlation with seeds yield. Carotenoid,number of seeds/plant and 100 ‐seed weight showed more direct positiveeffect on yield in optimum environment and in stress condition, numberof seeds/ plant and 100 ‐seed weight showed highest direct effect on seedyield. Results of factor analysis showed that four factors explained 88.54%and 34.5% of the total variance caused in the characters in optimum andwater deficit environment, respectively. In general, the results suggestedthat a chickpea cultivar, for increased yield under non ‐stress conditions,should have maximum number of seeds and pods per plant and under stressconditions should have maximum number of seeds and pods per plant andalso keep the high level of RWC and chlorophyll content in their leaves. Thus,identifying these traits as selection criteria in chickpea breeding programmay be useful for breeders to introduce suitable drought resistant chickpeacultivars for arid regions.