معصومه پوراسماعیل - موسسه تحقیقات اصلاح و تهیه نهال و بذر، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، کرج، ایران.
داوود صادق زاده اهری - موسسه تحقیقات کشاورزی دیم، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، مراغه، ایران.
همایون کانونی - بخش تحقیقات علوم زراعی و باغی، مرکز تحقیقات و آموزش کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی کردستان، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، سنندج، ایران.
علی سجاد بکایی - موسسه تحقیقات اصلاح و تهیه نهال و بذر، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، کرج، ایران.
محسن مهدیه - موسسه تحقیقات کشاورزی دیم، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، مراغه، ایران.

Cold stress is one of the main limiting factors for autumn planting of chickpea. The probability of presence of cold tolerant genes is considered to be higher in accessions originating from cold and highlands areas due to natural selection process. With this purpose, ۸۱۲ Desi chickpea accessions of the National Plant Gene Bank of Iran (NPGBI) originated from cold and high altitude regions (altitude more than ۱۲۰۰ m) were screened for cold tolerance. The experiment was set up as augmented design and carried out in dryland agricultural research station in Maragheh, Iran, in ۲۰۱۸-۱۹ cropping season. The reaction of these accessions to the natural cold temperatures in the region was investigated in comparison to tolerant cultivars (Saeed and Saral), and susceptible line (ILC۵۳۳). Accessions were scored based on the percentage of frost resistance ratio (FRR). Considerable variation was observed among accessions, while the average FRR was estimated ۳۰% and ۵۰% in Saeed and Saral cultivars, respectively, and ILC۵۳۳ was completely killed by frost. Frost resistance ratio ranged between ۰ and ۷۰ percent in NPGBI Desi chickpea accessions. In total, ۱۱۴ accessions could survive natural cold temperatures and completed their life cycle. The accessions number KC۲۱۵۷۲۴, KC۲۱۵۴۴۳, KC۲۱۵۷۱۲, KC۲۱۵۹۰۵, KC۲۱۵۹۱۱, KC۲۱۶۲۲۳, KC۲۱۵۴۵۸, KC۲۱۵۴۶۸ and KC۲۱۵۸۵۶ showed ۶۰% FRR, and accession number KC۲۱۵۷۲۴ obtained ۷۰% FRR, and were more cold tolerant than the other accessions. Therefore, these accessions can be used for being selected and released as new cold tolerant cultivars as well as in chickpea breeding programs for target environments.

Desi chickpea, Cold stress, Landraces, Dryland, autumn chickpea