PHENOTYPIC VARIATION AMONG FIFTY CICER ARIETINUM L. GENOTYPES CULTIVATED UNDER UPLAND, COOL SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a significant source of protein for people in various regions. To investigate the phenotypic variation among 50 chickpea genotypes, a trial was conducted in the upland, cool, semi-arid region of Gavshaleh, Saqqez, Iran, utilizing a randomized complete block scheme with three replicates. The number of days from seeding to flowering and maturity (NDF, NDM), plant height (PH), chlorophyll content (CHL), ground cover (GC), number of subsidiary branches (NSB), height of first pod from ground (HFB), number of pods per plant (NPP), weight of pod per plant (WPP), weight of shuck per plant (WSP), plant dry weight (PDW), number of seeds per pod (NSP), number of unfilled pods per plant (NUP), plant fresh weight (PFW), protein content (PC), seed yield (SY) and hundred seed weight (HSW) were measured. The analysis revealed that the primary six factors accounted for 80% of the observed variability, representing key aspects such as yield potential, plant stature, biochemical composition, pod and seed weight, flowering time, and plant morphology. Communalities indicated the reliability of all chickpea traits, ranging from 0.53 for NUP to 0.98 for NSP. In the visual analysis, four distinct trait groups were identified based on the first three factors, which explained 60% of the variability. Furthermore, a three-dimensional plot unveiled eight genotypic groups with varying characteristics. Notably, one cluster comprising three genotypes displayed exceptionally high mean yield performance. Ultimately, the top-performing genotypes were categorized into four groups, showcasing their potential for release as cultivars tailored for upland cool semi-arid regions.