Potential benefits from adaptation to climate change in chickpea

Genetic adaptation Grain yield Management adaptation Water consumption Water-limited condition This study was aimed to assess management and genetic adaptation strategies in water-limited condition of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in response to climate change using a crop simulation model. Four major chickpea-producing dry areas of Iran, having different sowing dates (owing to their climate), were selected. Chickpea yield would be increased by 37-89 % under future climate conditions and there were more opportunities for increasing yield. Different adaptation management or varieties could be optimized to gather more potential benefits of climate change. Results showed that further gain of yield (12-82%) and WUE (9-75%) could be achieved via crop earliness and early sowing under the future climate of dry areas of investigated locations. This is the consequence of a shift in growing season to a wetter part of the year and reduced the risk of late season drought stress. So new varieties should be released with shorter growth periods than current ones and sowing dates must be advanced whenever possible. 1