BEHAVIOR AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF EIGHT TUNISIAN VARIETIES OF CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) IN TWO BIOCLIMATIC STAGES

This work was carried out from December 2016 to June 2017 in two different regions on the north of Tunisia belong to the Sub-humid bioclimatic stage on Beja and the Semi-arid bioclimatic stage on Oued Mliz. It aims to identify the varieties of chickpea adaptable on each bioclimatic stage and to evaluate the efficiency of water use for some varieties of chickpea. Indeed, analysis of yield parameters such as biological yields, weight of hundred seeds, seeds yield, number of seeds. All varieties were grown in rainfed conditions. For the sub-humid and semi-arid bioclimatic sites plant have received respectively an amount of water of 346 and 261mm. The results show that there is a significant correlation between these parameters. The cultivation of the collection of eight varieties of chickpea in rainfed soil showed an important adaptation to drought. The number of pods marked in Beja1 and Nayer varieties are the highest, because of the ability to fill the pods during the year. While other varieties have a lower number of pods indicating that spring drought could be the cause of high flower abortion, pericarp development and empty pod formation. This research revealed that in the sub-humid bioclimatic stage, all varieties adapt and produce better than on the semi-arid. The semi-arid Tunisian is characterized by the final drought which causes the hydrous stress at chickpea. The conduit of this last in these zones is dependent on the selection of the varieties early and resistant to the water deficit.