Phenotypic Variability and Genetic Diversity Analysis of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Germplasm Resources

This study evaluated 362 chickpea accessions by analyzing the phenotypic variation of 17 major traits. The main agronomic traits and quality traits were comprehensively evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The results revealed a Shannon diversity index (<i>H</i>') for the five qualitative traits ranging from 0.76 to 1.20, while for the twelve quantitative traits, it ranged from 1.45 to 2.07. The coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 7.63% to 41.69%, demonstrating substantial variation and significant differences among the 362 germplasm resources. Correlation analysis revealed that traits such as growth period, plant height, seed weight per plant, and hundred-seed weight were closely correlated with yield. PCA extracted five principal components, collectively explaining 76.06% of the total variance, representing most of the agronomic traits and quality traits. Cluster analysis categorized the accessions into five distinct groups, which can be used as germplasm alternative materials with high yield, mechanization potential, large grain size, early maturity, stress resistance, and high protein content. Using a membership function, a comprehensive evaluation score (F-value) was calculated, leading to the identification of ten accessions with superior overall traits. These could be used as materials for breeding and germplasm creation of new chickpea varieties. This research provides a scientific basis for future parental selection in chickpea breeding programs and for the screening of specific chickpea germplasm resources.