Response of Chickpea to Short Periods of High Temperature and Water Stress

摘要

Minimizing the exposure of an annual crop to high temperature and water stress may increase the crop yield under semi-arid environments. A growth-chamber experiment was conducted to determine the effect of short periods of high temperature and water stress on pod production, seed setting and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L). 'Myles' desi and 'CDC Xena' kabuli chickpea were grown under 20/16 °C day/night temperatures (as check), and high (35/16 °C) and moderate (28/16 °C) temperature stresses were imposed for 14 days during flowering and pod development. During the temperature stress periods, plants were maintained at 90% (low water stress) or 50% (high water stress) available soil water. The number of fertile pods on the caulis and branches when stressed at 35/16 °C during flowering was reduced by 53% and 22% respectively. Nearly 90% of the pods formed during the stress were infertile.High temperature stress during pod formation reduced the amount of fertile pods by 22% for the desi, but had no effect on kabuli. With high temperature stress, only 58% of the pods on the kabuli were full and the amount of seeds per pod was reduced by 26%. Stress during flowering reduced seed yield by 33% for desi and 44% for kabuli chickpea, whereas stress during podding reduced seed yield by 54% for desi and 50% for kabuli. Kabuli plants grown from large and small seeds responded similarly to high temperature and water stress. Under semiarid environments, stress-induced damages at an earlier crop developmental stage could be recovered more progressively than at later stages regardless of the seed size planted.