AGROECOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE AND VARIABILITY OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) GENETIC RESOURCES FOR BREEDING SELECTION
Keywords:
Keywords: chickpea; genetic resources; agroecological adaptation; grain yield; genotype × environment; breeding.Abstract
This study evaluated the agroecological performance and variability of 30 chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genetic resources grown in three regions of Uzbekistan: Andijan, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent. Field data collected in 2025 were used to characterize phenology, plant morphology, yield components, grain yield, thousand-seed weight, and seed protein content. The analysis focused on three major traits: grain yield, thousand-seed weight, and protein concentration. Mean grain yield was 16.54, 16.08, and 13.99 centners ha−1 in Andijan, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent, respectively. Across environments, genotype K-1492 (Xosildor) had the highest mean yield (23.67 centners ha−1), followed by K-1486 (Sahro-1) (20.90), K-16748 (19.25), and K-1301 (19.15). K-1492 also showed high seed number per plant and protein content. Yield was positively correlated with seeds per plant and pods per plant, while thousand-seed weight showed a weak negative association with yield. Significant genotype, environment, and genotype × environment effects were detected. The identified superior genotypes represent valuable starting material for chickpea breeding and further multi-environment stability evaluation. Their evaluation provides a basis for selecting broadly adapted, productive, and nutritionally valuable genetic resources for cultivar development in Uzbekistan.
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Literature was selected to support interpretation of genetic resources, phenology, yield components, nutritional traits, breeding, and genotype × environment analysis.
