article · Frontiers in Plant Science
Chickpea is a vital, nutritious staple crop whose productivity is restricted by drought stress. To support breeding programmes, 185 chickpea accessions were cultivated across two locations in Lebanon over two years under both irrigated and rainfed conditions. Researchers evaluated 11 drought-linked traits covering morphology, growth, yield, and tolerance scores. Genotyping identified 1,344 single nucleotide polymorphism markers, while population analyses showed the accessions descended from four or five distinct ancestral groups. A genome-wide association study revealed 11 significant markers linked to distinct traits under rainfed conditions, and another 11 markers active across both water regimes. Linkage disequilibrium analysis identified two key genomic regions linked to multiple traits. Functional annotation identified 28 candidate genes involved in processes including plant growth, seed weight, starch metabolism, and drought regulation, highlighting critical genetic targets for crop enhancement.
Drought poses a severe threat to chickpea yields in water-scarce regions where the crop serves as an essential food source. Uncovering specific genetic markers and candidate genes linked to drought tolerance and yield traits provides plant breeders with precise biological targets. This knowledge helps accelerate the development of robust chickpea varieties capable of maintaining productivity in changing and dry environments.
The identified genetic markers and candidate genes can be used by plant breeders and agricultural seed enterprises to guide marker-assisted selection programmes for drought-tolerant chickpeas. This research is at an early, discovery-stage level, providing foundational genetic data rather than commercial seed lines. Translating these findings into commercial cultivars will require validation, targeted crossing programmes, and multi-location field trials before new varieties reach farmers.
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Chickpea, renowned for its exceptional nutritional value, stands as a crucial crop, serving as a dietary staple in various parts of the world. However, its productivity faces a significant challenge in the form of drought stress. This challenge highlights the urgent need to find genetic markers linked to drought tolerance for effective breeding programs. The primary objective of this study is to identify genetic markers associated with drought tolerance to facilitate effective breeding programs. To address this, we cultivated 185 chickpea accessions in two distinct locations in Lebanon over a two-year period, subjecting them to both irrigated and rain-fed environments. We assessed 11 drought-linked traits, including morphology, growth, yield, and tolerance score. SNP genotyping revealed 1344 variable SNP markers distributed across the chickpea genome. Genetic diversity across populations originating from diverse geographic locations was unveiled by the PCA, clustering, and structure analysis indicating that these genotypes have descend from five or four distinct ancestors. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) revealed several marker trait associations (MTAs) associated with the traits evaluated. Within the rainfed conditions, 11 significant markers were identified, each associated with distinct chickpea traits. Another set of 11 markers exhibited associations in both rainfed and irrigated environments, reflecting shared genetic determinants across these conditions for the same trait. The analysis of linkage disequilibrium (LD) highlighted two genomic regions with notably strong LD, suggesting significant interconnections among several investigated traits. This was further investigated by the correlation between major markers associated with these traits. Gene annotation of the identified markers has unveiled insights into 28 potential genes that play a role in influencing various chickpea drought-linked traits. These traits encompass crucial aspects such as blooming organ development, plant growth, seed weight, starch metabolism, drought regulation, and height index. Among the identified genes are <i>CPN60-2</i>, <i>hsp70</i>, <i>GDSL(GELP)</i>, <i>AHL16</i>, <i>NAT3</i>, <i>FAB1B</i>, <i>bZIP</i>, and <i>GL21</i>. These genes collectively contribute to the multifaceted response of chickpea plants to drought stress. Our identified genetic factors exert their influence in both irrigated and rainfed environments, emphasizing their importance in shaping chickpea characteristics.
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DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1260690
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