Characterization of Chickpea Germplasm

In plant breeding, genetic diversity is an important component for crop improvement. An experiment was conducted at Ishurdi, Pabna (Bangladesh) to study the diversity and variability within the core germplasm collection of 93 chickpea accessions, and a total of 13 qualitative and 12 quantitative characteristics were studied. Among the qualitative characteristics more significant variations were observed in plant pigmentation, growth habit, flower color, seed color, seed shape, and texture. A total of 93 accessions were divided into eight clusters. The genotypes in Cluster IV and Cluster VIII were crossed with genotypes in Cluster I and Cluster VII for better yield performance. Correlation co-efficient study was done among the 12 quantitative characters with yield performance of the studied chickpea germplasm. Significant and positive correlation was observed among the days to 50% flowering, branches per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod, straw yield, but significant and negative correlation was observed among the days to maturity, plant height, canopy width and hundred seeds weight within the yield performance of studied chickpea germplasm. Simultaneously, a more distinguished morphological diversity was found in number of pods per plant, grain yield per plant(g), 100-seed weight (g), harvest index and plant canopy height (cm) among the twelve quantitative traits of 93 chickpea accession. The chickpea accessions BD-6051, BD-6058, BD-6557, BD-6214, BD-6221, BD-6235, BD-6460, BD-6461, BD-6470, BD-6471, BD-6472, BD-6473, BD-6478, BD-6480, BD-6481, 6483, BD-6484, BD-6488, BD- 6491, BD-6500, BD-6505, and BD-6513 could be considered for crop improvement through the future breeding program of chickpea