Tianxia Guo

Institute of Life Sciences, Jiyang College, Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Legume Genomics and Genetics, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 5   doi: 10.5376/lgg.2024.15.0022
Received: 04 Sep., 2024    Accepted: 05 Oct., 2024    Published: 15 Oct., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Guo T.X., 2024, Genetic improvement of chickpeas: traits, targets, and technology, Legume Genomics and Genetics, 15(5): 221-231 (10.5376/lgg.2024.15.0022)

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) are a vital legume crop, contributing significantly to global food security and nutrition. However, chickpea cultivation faces numerous challenges, including yield instability, susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, and the need for improved nutritional quality. This study explores key traits for chickpea improvement, focusing on enhancing yield, resistance to diseases and pests, tolerance to environmental stresses, and nutritional enhancement. It further reviews molecular and genomic approaches such as Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS), Genomic Selection (GS), Genetic Mapping, Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) analysis, and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, highlighting their application in chickpea breeding programs. A case study on improving drought tolerance is presented, illustrating genetic, genomic, and breeding strategies to develop drought-resilient varieties. Emerging technologies like high-throughput phenotyping, multi-omics, and artificial intelligence are discussed for their potential to revolutionize chickpea breeding. The study also addresses challenges and opportunities, emphasizing the need for diverse germplasm utilization, effective policy support, and bridging the gap between research and farmer adoption. The study concludes by underscoring the pivotal role of integrative breeding technologies in shaping the future of chickpea improvement programs and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.

Chickpea improvement; Biotic and abiotic stress tolerance; Molecular breeding; Genomic selection; Drought resilience