Correlation and path coefficient analysis of morphophysiological traits affecting root length for drought stress in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under controlled conditions

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an essential leguminous crop cultivated mainly in India, the leading producer globally and suffers yield losses due to terminal drought stress conditions. This study was performed during the rabi season (2023-24) at the Pulse crop research centre, Division of Genetics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, aimed to study the effect of genotypic variation on root traits of chickpea under controlled and drought stress conditions. Seven chickpea genotypes were analyzed in completely randomized design for physiological and morphological traits, revealing significant differences in root dry weight, relative water content, membrane stability index, plant height, days to 50% flowering, and root length. Correlation analysis showed association of root length with days to 50% flowering and relative water content, indicating its importance in water uptake efficiency and drought stress tolerance. Path coefficient analysis further elucidated the direct and indirect effects of these traits on root length, with days to 50% flowering having the highest direct influence under stress conditions. These findings emphasize the significance of root length as a key trait for enhancing chickpea genotypes to drought stress, suggesting its potential as a selection criterion in breeding programmes for crop improvement. The radar plot revealed that genotype G1 showed superior trait performance across morpho-physiological traits followed by genotype G6 and G7, indicating the potential for drought tolerance breeding.