Not AvailableThe growth of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is
extremely hampered by salt stress. Understanding of physio-
biochemical and molecular attributes along with morphological
traits contributing to the salinity tolerance is
important for developing salt tolerant chickpea varieties.
To explore these facts, two genotypes CSG8962 and HC5
with contrasting, salt tolerance was evaluated in the
salinity stress (Control and 120 mM NaCl) conditions.
CSG8962 maintained lower Na/K ratio in root and shoot,
trammeled Na translocation to the shoots from roots
compared to HC5 which ascribed to better exclusion of salt
from its roots and compartmentation in the shoot. In
chickpea, salt stress specifically induced genes/sequences
involved at several levels in the salt stress signaling pathway.
Higher induction of trehalose 6 phosphate synthase
and protein kinase genes pertaining to the osmotic and
signaling modules, respectively, were evident in CSG8962
compared to HC5. Further transcripts of late embryogenesis
abundant, non-specific lipid transfer protein, HI and
219 genes/sequences were also highly induced in CSG8962
compared to HC5 which emphasizes the better protection
of cellular membranous network and membrane-bound
macromolecules under salt stress. This further suppressed
the stress enhanced electrolyte leakage, loss of turgidity,
promoted the higher compatible solute accumulation and
maintained better cellular ion homoeostasis in CSG8962
compared to HC5. Our study further adds to the importance
of these genes in salt tolerance by comparing their behavior
in contrasting chickpea genotypes.Not Availabl