Advances, challenges, and opportunities to improve drought tolerance in chickpea

Ajaya Karkee; Rutwik Barmukh; Oluwaseun Akinlade; Bhargava Kotte; Sally L. Norton; Kristy Hobson; Chengdao Li; Lars Kamphuis; Victor O. Sadras; Rajeev K. Varshney

doi:10.1016/j.stress.2026.101406

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Advances, challenges, and opportunities to improve drought tolerance in chickpea

Journal article

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Advances, challenges, and opportunities to improve drought tolerance in chickpea

Ajaya Karkee, Rutwik Barmukh, Oluwaseun Akinlade, Bhargava Kotte, Sally L. Norton, Kristy Hobson, Chengdao Li, Lars Kamphuis, Victor O. Sadras and Rajeev K. Varshney

Plant stress (Amsterdam), Vol.21, 101406

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2026.101406

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Abstract

abiotic stress

artificial intelligence

CRISPR-Cas9

Genomics-assisted breeding

high-throughput phenotyping

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important legume crop predominantly cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions where drought limits yield. This review outlines recent advancements in drought tolerance research in chickpea, integrating genetic, molecular, environmental, and physiological approaches. The idiosyncratic nature of drought is emphasized, highlighting the need to align plant phenotypes with specific drought types across phenological scales. Advances in genomics, including genomic selection and marker-assisted selection, have accelerated the breeding for adaptation to drought. CRISPR-Cas9 and other modern genome-editing technologies are enabling precise modifications of drought-responsive genes, offering new insights. High-throughput phenotyping and data-driven predictive models further enhance the identification and selection of superior genotypes. The integration of traditional breeding methods with modern technologies addresses challenges posed by the idiosyncratic nature of drought, the interaction between drought and other stresses (e.g., heat), the polygenic nature of drought tolerance, the narrow genetic diversity in cultivated chickpeas, and incomplete conceptual models of plant phenotypes in crop stands. This review underscores the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in developing drought-tolerant chickpeas.

Details

Title: Advances, challenges, and opportunities to improve drought tolerance in chickpea
Authors/Creators: Ajaya Karkee - WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
Rutwik Barmukh - WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
Oluwaseun Akinlade - Murdoch University
Bhargava Kotte - WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
Sally L. Norton - Agriculture Victoria
Kristy Hobson - NSW Department of Primary Industries, Tamworth Agricultural Institute, Tamworth, NSW 2340, Australia
Chengdao Li - Murdoch University
Lars Kamphuis - Curtin University
Victor O. Sadras - South Australian Research and Development Institute, Kaurna Country, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Rajeev K. Varshney - WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
Publication Details: Plant stress (Amsterdam), Vol.21, 101406
Publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Number of pages: 15
Identifiers: 991005883370307891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Crop and Food Innovation; Food Futures Institute
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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