Selection of early segregating progeny lines of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) for high yield under terminal drought stress conditions

Drought is one of the most devastating abiotic stresses, spreading around the world and limiting the productivity of chickpea. The present study was carried out to select the high yielding progeny lines of chickpea to combat terminal drought stress conditions. Parameters that were measured included phenological traits; yield and yield- related traits viz. number of branches plant-1, number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, 100 seed weight and biological yield in F3 progeny lines of cross HC-1 × RSG 931 along with parental chickpea genotypes. The data was analyzed using statistical program and all yield-related traits were found to be positively correlated with seed yield. Four progeny lines viz. P9, P15, P17 and P18 had higher seed yield plant-1 than drought tolerant parental chickpea genotype, RSG 931 under terminal drought stress conditions. These superior progeny lines could be incorporated in chickpea breeding program to increase yield under terminal drought stress.