Chlorophyll fluorescence and carbohydrate concentration as field selection traits for heat tolerant chickpea genotypes

Publication date: Available online 29 May 2019Source: Plant Physiology and BiochemistryAuthor(s): Givemore M. Makonya, John B.O. Ogola, A. Muthama Muasya, Olivier Crespo, Sipho Maseko, Alex J. Valentine, Carl-Otto Ottosen, Eva Rosenqvist, Samson B.M. ChimphangoAbstractChickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), a cool season crop is severely affected by heat stress, predicted to increase due to warming climates. Research for identifying heat tolerance markers for potential chickpea genotype selection is imperative. The study assessed the response of four chickpea genotypes to a natural temperature gradient in the field using chlorophyll fluorescence, non-structural carbohydrate, chlorophyll concentrations, gas exchange and grain yield. Field experiments were carried out in two winter seasons at three locations with known differences in temperature in NE South Africa. Results showed two genotypes were tolerant to heat stress with an Fv/Fm of 0.83–0.85 at the warmer site, while the two sensitive genotypes showed lower Fv/Fm of 0.78–0.80. Both dark-adapted Fv/Fm and Fq'/Fm’ (where Fq’ = Fm’ –F) measured at comparable high light levels correlated positively with grain yield. The two tolerant genotypes also showed higher photosynthetic rates, starch, sucrose and grain yield than the sensitive genotypes at the warmer site. However, these parameters were consistently higher at the cooler sites than at the warmer. These results were further validated by a climate chamber experim...
Source: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research