Evaluating the tolerance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes to salinity stress based on a complex of morpho-physiological and yielding traits

Salinity is one of the most significant abiotic stress factors influencing crop production, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Plants’ response to salinity stress depends on the cultivated genotype. A pot experiment was conducted to study the impact of two concentrations of sodium chloride (4 and 6 dS∙m-1) on some physiological and production traits of 58 chickpea genotypes. A genetic variation in the response of the investigated chickpea genotypes for NaCl-induced salinity stress was noted. Studied morphophysiological traits and yield components were affected under salt stress in all genotypes tested. Plant height was observed to have the lowest rate of reduction (32%, 48%) at 4 and 6 dS∙m-1, respectively. Leaf stomatal conductance decreased as salinity increased. Salinity stress conditions affected all studied yield components, but there was a genetic variation in the response of the studied genotypes. Under no stress conditions and compared to the other genotypes, the number of pods was significantly higher in BG362 genotype. The seed number was significantly higher in ILC9076 genotype. The 100 seed weight was significantly higher in the genotype ILC2664. The mean seed yield was significantly higher in ILC9354 and the harvest index was significantly higher in ILC8617. In general, salinity stress caused the reduction of all parameters. We assume that the assessment of tolerance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes to salinity stress should be based on a complex of morpho-physiological traits and analysis of yield complement.