Evolution in the genus Cicer—vernalisation response and low temperature pod set in chickpea (C. arietinum L.) and its annual wild relatives
Jens D. Berger A B C , Renee Buck B , Jennifer M. Henzell A and Neil C. Turner A BA Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
B CSIRO Plant Industry, Private Bag 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: Jens.Berger@csiro.au
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56(11) 1191-1200 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR05089
Submitted: 9 March 2005 Accepted: 24 June 2005 Published: 29 November 2005
Abstract
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) developed as a post-rainy season, spring-sown crop early in its evolution and spread into warm subtropical regions, in contrast to its wild relatives that have remained as winter annuals in West and Central Asia. To test whether these different life cycles selected for different phenological strategies in wild and cultivated Cicer, germplasm from a wide range of habitats was subjected to different cold treatments (vernalisation, control) at germination, and phenology evaluated at warm and cool field sites (14.8–15.1°C and 13.1°C, respectively). All wild Cicer species, except for C. yamashitae, responded positively to vernalisation and accelerated the dates of flowering, podding, and maturity. There was no vernalisation response in cultivated chickpea, whereas C. arietinum/C. echinospermum and C. arietinum/C. reticulatum interspecific hybrids were intermediate, flowering 6–16 days earlier after vernalisation. Relative podding dates differed between sites. Chickpea podded earlier than most vernalised wild species under warm conditions, but not at the cool site. Regression against post-anthesis temperature showed that the delay in podding was consistent with a lack of cold tolerance in the cultigen. The interspecific hybrids were significantly more cold tolerant than chickpea, and the wild species were almost insensitive to the temperature range recorded at the cool site.
Vernalisation responsiveness and a greater tolerance of low temperatures during the reproductive phase demonstrate that the annual wild Cicer species harbour important traits that can be used to widen adaptation in the cultigen, and may help to improve the performance of chickpea as a Mediterranean cool-season crop.
Additional keywords: wild annual Cicers, cool temperature, stress, interspecific hybrids, flowering time, podding time.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA), and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), for their generous research support. The CGIAR system, particularly ICARDA, and plant breeders in Australia and India are thanked for access to their germplasm. This work could not have been attempted without considerable technical assistance especially from Ms Christiane Ludwig, Mr Stuart Smith, Mr Greg Bunker, Ms Sarah Henzell, and Dr Renuka Shrestha. Finally, Dr Shahal Abbo is thanked for his stimulating interaction in the area of adaptation in the genus Cicer.
ABARE
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