Variation in Nutritional and Biochemical Parameters and Interrelationships with Seed Yield in Desi Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes

Chickpea a key legume crop extensively cultivated in semi-arid and arid regions, plays a crucial role in global food and nutritional security, with India contributing nearly 70% of its traits production. This investigation aimed to characterize seed yield alongside key biochemical traits viz., protein, proline, DPPH-based antioxidant activity, total sugar and total phenol content in 69 diverse chickpea genotypes. The genotypes exhibited substantial variability in different biochemical parameters. Protein content ranged from 16.00% to 20.85%, proline 1.52–2.94 µmol/g, antioxidant activity 29.00–50.65%, total sugars 51.20–72.50 mg/g and phenols 0.92–2.30 mg/g. Remarkably, seed yield displayed a significant positive correlation with antioxidant activity (r = 0.2566), suggesting a role of oxidative stress mitigation in sustaining productivity. In contrast, correlations with protein, proline, sugar and phenol were weak and non-significant. Protein content was negatively correlated with proline, antioxidant activity and phenols, indicating possible metabolic trade-offs, whereas proline and phenol were positively correlated (r = 0.2552), reflecting coordinated stress-responsive mechanisms. These findings highlight rich genetic diversity for both nutritional and stress-related biochemical traits within the chickpea genotypes. Overall, the findings provide a robust foundation for selecting and combining desirable traits, paving the way for the development of chickpea cultivars that can meet the dual goals of productivity and improved nutritional and functional quality, thereby supporting food security and human health under changing climatic scenarios.