Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM) enhances drought resilience: A correlation study of growth and yield traits in chickpea

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Correlation of Morpho-Physiological and Yield Traits in Chickpea under VAM Inoculation and Moisture Stress” was carried out during the Rabi season of 2023-24 at the Research Farm, Dr. PDKV, Akola. The study aimed to elucidate the relationships among key morpho-physiological and yield-attributing traits of chickpea under irrigated and moisture-stress conditions with vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) inoculation. The experiment was conducted in a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications, comprising seven varieties and two water regime conditions. Correlation analysis revealed that seed yield exhibited strong positive associations with total dry matter, root number, and plant height under both water regime conditions. Under moisture stress condition, root traits such as root number and total root length showed significant positive correlations with yield, indicating their critical role in drought tolerance. The study emphasizes that selection based on total dry matter, root number, and plant height can effectively enhance yield potential under moisture-deficit environments. The findings provide valuable insights for developing chickpea genotypes resilient to drought with improved physiological efficiency.