Screening of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes for Salinity Tolerance at Early Growth Stages

پژوهش‌های حبوبات ایران

Volume 15, Issue 1 - Serial Number 29, June 2024, Pages 1-21   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/ijpr.2023.79906.1049

Authors

Narges Safaei Ghalehzou; Mohammad Kafi^* ; Ahmad Nezami; Jafar Nabati

Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Chickpea is an important source of energy and protein of the Iranian people’s diet. Iran is one of the main centers of genetic diversity of this crop. The cultivation of chickpea nowadays is practiced using irrigation or supplemented irrigation in many parts of Iran, as more challenging by climate change, precipitation decline, and salinization of underground water resources. On the other side, there is no enough fresh water to meet the full water requirement of chickpea. Although chickpea consider as a salt sensitive crop but there are some reports that show some variable reaction to salinity amongst different chickpea genotypes. A collection of cold and drought stress tolerant chickpea genotypes are maintained in Mashhad Chickpea Collection (MCC) in the Plant Science Research Center of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Therefore, testing the tolerance of different genotypes and landraces of this crop to salinity stress is of important, and this experiment is arranged to test salinity tolerance of chickpea genotypes in this collection.
 
Materials and Methods
In order to identify and assess of chickpea genotypes salinity tolerant, seeds of 206 Mashhad Chickpea Collection genotypes were kindly prepared by Plant Science Research Center of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM). The experiment was carried out in the research green house of Faculty of Agriculture of FUM at the spring of 2021 which light was normal, and temperature and humidity were controlled. A randomized complete block design was used with three replications and each treatment consist of 10 plants for each genotype. Seeds were sown in the shallow trays in the lab at 25 degrees centigrade and emerged seedling were transplanted in the sand culture medium. Saline water prepared by adding NaCl to tap water till its EC reached to 12 dS.m^-1. Salinity imposed after a week of transplanting through the Hoagland nutrient solution and continued for four weeks. Nutrient solution was renewed each week and 12 dS.m^-1 NaCl dissolved in that solution. Measured traits included the height difference at the beginning of the imposing of salt stress and for weeks later, number of branch per plant, survival percentage, and biomass accumulation. Sodium and potassium content of shoots. Data were analyzed using Minitab for windows 17 and standard error and cluster analysis arranged using JMP4 software.
 
Results and Discussion
 The results showed that 31 genotypes have a survival rate of 76-100% which 10 genotypes showed survival rate of 100%. Plant height, biomass, and number of lateral branches per plant decreased as survival rate decreased. Significant increase in shoot Na⁺ concentration was only found in survival range of 0-25% while the shoot sodium content was the lowest in in group of 57-100% survival compared to the other three groups. Biomass accumulation also reduced more rapidly in low survival group (0-25%) compare with 76-100% survival group by 66%. The correlation analysis showed that survival rate, plant height and number of lateral branches per plant, biomass, plant height difference and shoot K⁺ concentration showed significantly positive correlation. Based on factor analysis, three factors were selected that in total 79% of the total variation was explained. The first and second factors were explained high percent of variation that include survival rate and plant height and number of lateral branches per plant, biomass, plant height difference and Na+ concentration. Genotypes MCC1782, MCC197 ,MCC1703 ,MCC1568, MCC1573, MCC1737, MCC1209, MCC1516, MCC1493, MCC1832, MCC1957, MCC1721, MCC2016, MCC1704, MCC1641, MCC1815, MCC1775, MCC178, MCC1754, MCC1627, MCC1716, MCC1918, MCC1827 ,were selected as the superior genotype under salinity stress of 12 dS.m^-1  for four weeks. According to the result of cluster analysis, the genotypes were classified in four clusters. The genotypes of the third and fourth clusters had a high average salinity tolerance compared to other clusters with the investigated traits.
 
Conclusions
While chickpea is not traditionally considered a salt-tolerant crop, the observed variations among genotypes suggest that further efforts are required to screen and identify salt-tolerant genotypes and landraces for potential inclusion in breeding programs. It's important to note that the current study was conducted in a controlled environment, with only a few weeks of exposure to salinity treatment. Consequently, we propose a more extensive experiment that includes those genotypes exhibiting superior performance in terms of survival rate, biomass accumulation, low shoot sodium content, and high potassium content.

Keywords

Biomass; Cluster analysis; Factor analysis; Sodium; Survival percentage

References

Alipoor Yamchi, H., Bihamta, M., Peyghambari, S.A., Naghavi, M., & Majnoon Hoseini, N. (2013). Grouping of Kabuli chickpea genotypes using multivariate statistical methods. Iranian Journal Pulses Research, 4(2), 21-34. (In Persian with English summary)‏.‏ https://doi.org/10.22067/ijpr.v1392i2.41258

Arzani, A. (2008). Improving salinity tolerance in crop plants: A biotechnological view. In vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Plant, 44, 373–383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-008-9157-7

Arzani, A., & Ashraf, M. (2016). Smart engineering of genetic resources for enhanced salinity tolerance in crop plants. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences, 35(3), 146-189. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352689.2016.1245056

Aslam, M., Maqbool, M.A., Mushtaq, Q., Akhtar, M.A., & Aslam, A.Y.E.S.H.A. (2018). Uncovering the biological and agronomic stability of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes against sodium chloride stress. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 50(4), 1297-1304.

Doraki, G.R., Zamani, G.R., & Sayyari, M.H. (2018). Effect of salt stress on yield and yield components in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. Azad).‏ Iranian Journal Pulses Research, 9(1), 57-68. (In Persian with English summary)‏. https://doi.org/10.22067/ijpr.v9i1.53816

Gautam, A., Panwar, R.K., Verma, S.K., Arora, A., Gaur, A.K., & Chauhan, C. (2021). Assessment of genetic variability parameters for yield and its components in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Biological Forum–An International Journal, 13(2), 651-655.

Hoagland, D.R., & Arnon, D.L. (1950). The water culture method for growing plants without soil. California Agricultural Experiment Station Circular. pp. 347.

Kaashyap, M., Ford, R., Kudapa, H., Jain, M., Edwards, D., Varshney, R., & Mantri, N. (2018). Differential regulation of genes involved in root morphogenesis and cell wall modification is associated with salinity tolerance in chickpea. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 1-19.‏

Kaashyap, M., Ford, R., Mann, A., Varshney, R.K., Siddique, K.H., & Mantri, N. (2022). Comparative flower transcriptome network analysis reveals DEGs involved in chickpea reproductive success during salinity. Plants, 11(3), 434.‏ https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11030434

Kotula, L., Clode, .P.L., Jimenez, J.D.L.C., & Colmer, T.D. (2019). Salinity tolerance in chickpea is associated with the ability to ‘exclude’ Na from leaf mesophyll cells. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70(18), 4991-5002‏. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erz241

Kumar, N., Barmukh, R., Sengar, M.S., Bharadwaj, C., & Varshney, R.K. (2020). Genetic dissection and identification of candidate genes for salinity tolerance using Axiom® CicerSNP array in chickpea. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(14), 5058.‏

Kumar, N., Bharadwaj, C., Soni, A., Sachdeva, S.U.P.R.I.Y.A., Yadav, M.C., Pal, M.A.D.A.N., & Rana, M.A.N.E.E.T. (2020). Physio-morphological and molecular analysis for salt tolerance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 90(4), 132-136.‏

Kumar, N., Soren, K.R., Bharadwaj, C., PR, S.P., Shrivastava, A.K., Pal, M., & Varshney, R.K. (2021). Genome-wide transcriptome analysis and physiological variation modulates gene regulatory networks acclimating salinity tolerance in chickpea. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 187, 104478.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2021.104478

Lavrenko, N., Lavrenko, S., Revto, O., & Lykhovyd, P. (2018). Effect of tillage and humidification conditions on desalination properties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Journal of Ecological Engineering, 19(5), 70-75.‏ https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/91265

Moustafa, E.S., Ali, M.M., Kamara, M.M., Awad, M.F., Hassanin, A.A., & Mansour, E. (2021). Field screening of wheat advanced lines for salinity tolerance. Agronomy, 11(2), 281.‏ https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020281

Munns, R., & Tester, M. (2008). Mechanisms of salinity tolerance. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 59, 651-681. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.arplant.59.032607.092911

Mushtaq, Z., Faizan, S., Gulzar, B., Mushtaq, H., Bushra, S., Hussain, A., & Hakeem, K.R. (2022). Changes in growth, photosynthetic pigments, cell viability, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense system in two varieties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) subjected to salinity stress. Phyton, 91(1), 149.‏ 10.32604/phyton.2021.016231

Nabati, J., Kafi, M., Nezami, A., & Boroumand Rezazadeh, A. (2021). Evaluation of salinity tolerance of 140 desi chickpea (Cicer arietinum) genotypes. Iranian Journal of Pulses Research, 12(1), 220-205. (In Persian with English summary).

Nasiri, Z., Nabati, J., Nezami, A., & Kafi, M. (2021). Screening of Kabuli-type chickpea genotypes for salinity tolerance under field condition. Environmental Stresses in Crop Sciences, 14(4), 1055-1068.(In Persian with English summary)‏.‏ https://doi.org/10.22077/escs.2020.3290.1839

Pushpavalli, R., Quealy, J., Colmer, T.D., Turner, N.C., Siddique, K.H., Rao, M.V., & Vadez, V. (2016). Salt stress delayed flowering and reduced reproductive success of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), a response associated with Na⁺ accumulation in leaves. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 202(2), 125-138. https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.12128

Rencher, A.C., & Christensen, W.F. (2002). Methods of multivariate analysis. A john wiley and sons Inc. Publication.‏

Soren, K.R., Madugula, P., Kumar, N., Barmukh, R., Sengar, M.S., Bharadwaj, C., & Varshney, R.K. (2020). Genetic dissection and identification of candidate genes for salinity tolerance using Axiom® CicerSNP array in chickpea. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(14), 5058.‏ https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21145058

Sun, Y., Lindberg, S., Shabala, L., Morgan, S., Shabala, S., & Jacobsen, S.E. (2017). A comparative analysis of cytosolic Na+ changes under salinity between halophyte quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and glycophyte pea (Pisum sativum). Environmental and Experimental Botany, 141, 154-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2017.07.003

Tandon, H.L.S. (1995). Methods of analysis of soils, plants, water and fertilizers. Fertiliser Development and Consultation Organisation, New Delhi.

Tsehaye, A., Fikre, A., & Bantayhu, M. (2020). Genetic variability and association analysis of Desi-type chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) advanced lines under potential environment in North. Gondar, Ethiopia. Cogent Food and Agriculture, 6(1), 1806668.‏ https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2020.1806668

Vaishnani, B., Nathwani, S.A., Baraiya, T., & Panigrahi, J. (2022). Physiological, biochemical, and enzymatic implications of “salt and lead” tolerance in Cicer arietinum under hydroponic culture condition. Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Research, 100(4), 483-498.‏ https://doi.org/10.21608/ejar.2022.131925.1226

Zare Mehrjerdi. M., Nabati, J., Masomi, A., Bagheri, A.R., & Kafi, M. (2011). Evaluation of tolerance to salinity based on root and shoot growth of 11 drought tolerant and sensitive chickpea genotypes at hydroponics conditions.‏ Iranian Journal Pulses Research, 2(2), 83-96. (In Persian with English summary)‏.‏ https://doi.org/10.22067/ijpr.v2i2.19045