Drought tolerance mechanisms in chickpea studied through transcriptomic analysis

In order to identify genes and pathways involved in drought tolerance, RNA was isolated from control and 15-days drought-stressed chickpea plants. Two chickpea genotypes, Desi PI598080 (“D”) and Kabuli Flip07 318C (“K”), respectively sensitive and tolerant to drought stresses were used. The 12 extracted RNAs (2 genotypes x 2 water regimes x 3 biological replicates) were sequenced, and the transcriptomic changes between the genotypes and water conditions were analysed. The genotype with higher drought sensitivity showed a generally higher change of gene transcripts than the genotype with less sensitivity, upregulating genes involved in photophosphorylation process (transferases, oxygen lyases and oxidoreductases), hormones (brassinosteroids, abscissic acid and gibberellin response), solute transporters, nutrient uptake and cell wall properties (cellulose synthases, hemicellulose synthases, poligalacturonases, pectate lyases). These results will be helpful for further studies aiming at identifying genes and molecular markers to develop chickpea cultivars resilient to water stress.