Journal of Plant Research and Innovations

ABSTRACT

Chickpea, a major global pulse crop, is valued for its high protein content and is predominantly cultivated under rain-fed conditions, yielding an average of 1 tonne/ha, well below its 6 tonnes/ha potential under optimal conditions. Environmental stressors such as heat, cold, drought, and salinity significantly limit productivity. To bridge this yield gap, the HC 6 chickpea variety was released in 2022, designed for cultivation in Haryana, India. Recommended sowing dates are from October 25 to November 20 for timely planting, and November 21 to December 10 for late sowing. HC 6 has a profuse branching, spreading plant structure, and attractive yellow-brown seeds, with a medium seed size of 17.0 g/100 seeds. It has demonstrated a yield of 26.69 q/ha and a protein content of 21.76%, showing notable tolerance to heat (>30°C) and drought. The variety, identified nationally with IC 642745, originated from an interspecific cross between two cultivated chickpea genotypes by Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. Released for commercial cultivation in 2020, HC 6 combines traits from its female parent H 99-264, which has a semi-erect growth habit, pink flowers, and wilt resistance, with its male parent H 00-256, known for its spreading growth habit, large seeds, and resistance to wilt, collar rot, and Ascochyta blight. HC 6 has shown a yield increase of 34

KEYWORDS

1. Chickpea
2. New variety
3. Timely sown
4. Late sown
5. Haryana