Vol. 8, Special Issue 11, Part J (2024)

Drought stress poses a significant threat to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production, particularly affecting critical growth stages such as germination and seedling establishment. This study employed an in vitro screening method using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 to simulate water stress and evaluate drought tolerance among six chickpea genotypes: ICC 4958, ICC 15614, ICC 15510 (drought-tolerant), and PDKV Kabuli-4, JAKI-9218, PDKV Kanak (agronomically superior). Four seedling traits germination percentage, shoot length, root length, and shoot-root ratio were assessed under PEG concentrations of 0% (control), 5%, 7%, and 10%. Analysis of variance revealed significant variability among genotypes, PEG levels, and their interactions. Results showed a general decline in the studied traits under induced water stress, with notable exceptions in germination percentage, root length, and shoot-root ratio for certain genotypes. At 10% PEG stress, ICC4958, ICC15614, and ICC15510 exhibited the highest germination percentages, while ICC4958, PDKV Kanak, and ICC 15614 maintained superior shoot and root lengths. Root-to-shoot ratios increased in ICC 4958 and PDKV Kanak, indicating adaptive responses. Conversely, PDKV Kabuli-4 exhibited the lowest values across most traits under stress conditions. Overall, ICC 4958 and PDKV Kanak demonstrated strong drought tolerance, whereas PDKV Kabuli-4 was identified as drought-susceptible. These findings highlight promising genotypes for breeding programs targeting enhanced drought resilience in chickpea.