Genotypic and Phenotypic Variation in the Global Collection of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Worldwide chickpea is the 4rth largest grain-legume crop – area 11.2 million ha, production 9.2 million tons, and productivity 0.82 t ha-1 (FAO 2005). Chickpea is grown in 40 countries (area exceeding 10,000 ha in each country). Chickpea productivity consistently increased in India and Mexico while it declined in many other countries. Two types of chickpeas – desi – widely grown in South Asia and Africa and Kabuli – widely grown in Mediterranean region are known. Large variation in chickpea germplasm has been noted for most of the morphological/agronomic traits and for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, careful assessment of genetic resources is a key to enhance utilization of genetically diverse accessions with beneficial traits in breeding programs.......