Assessment of Genotype x Environment Interactions of Chickpea Genotypes to High Temperature Tolerance under Different Environmental Conditions

The present investigation was conducted using twenty two chickpea genotypes including check varieties under different sowing conditions in West Bengal to identify the genotypes that are tolerance to high temperature stress by assessing their genotype x environment (G x E) interactions. The experiment was organised in Randomized Complete Block Design with two replications over two consecutive years during 2014-15 and 2015-16. The data obtained from the yield component traits of these genotypes was undergone to two way analysis of variance to understand the existence of genotype by environment interaction. Significant differences in crop phenology were observed among the genotypes of chickpea from all tested environments while the interaction was significant for all the traits under study except number of seeds per pod. Thus, variation in response of the genotypes to different planting condition was observed. After determining the significance of genotype by environment interaction, the data was further subjected to additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis in order to estimate the main effect of genotypes as well as genotypic and environmental components of interaction for seed yield of chickpea genotypes. According to the AMMI model, 79.49 and 79.92 per cent of the total sum of squares was attributed to the environmental effects, whereas 20.22 and 17.93 per cent had attributed to genotype, while 0.29 and 2.15 per cent to genotype by environment interaction across the respective years. Hence, the maximum proportion of the variation in seed yield was gained from normal sown condition. The genotypes ICCV 10 and RSG 963 produced equal yield under late sown condition, as demonstrated by the AMMI biplot. Therefore, the adaptability of these genotypes to different environments can be qualitatively assessed and recommended to use in breeding programs targeting of chickpea for growing in warmer areas.