International Research Team Discovers Major Genes Influencing Chickpea's Flowering Time

Scientists from Durham University in the United Kingdom, Harran University in Turkey, and the University of California Davis in the USA, have discovered that flowering time in chickpeas and its wild relatives is influenced by one to three major genes.

The research team created 10 genetically diverse chickpea families from wild samples collected from different locations across southern Turkey. They then cultivated the chickpea hybrids in the field at Harran University and measured several performance-related traits. They also analyzed multiple genetic markers of the chickpea genome focusing on flowering time variation, as early flowering varieties can produce seeds before suffering late summer drought and high temperature in Turkey.

The findings of this pioneering study open up the door for further exploration of the genetic variation for the flowering time available in wild chickpea populations. It also enables the development of genetic markers to make future chickpea breeding efforts faster and more precise. Their research has provided new insights into improving chickpea breeding and has already generated locally adapted varieties in Turkey and Syria.

For more details, read the article on the Durham University website.