Reaction of Chickpea Genotypes to Salinity-Inhibiting Applications at Different Salt Stress Levels

Salinity, an abiotic stress factor, has negative effects in chickpeas. CO₂, organic acids, and Ca-derived minerals are used to reduce the effects of salinity. In this way, the salt-acceptance mechanism begins. To eliminate these negative effects, in this study, plant growth regulators (salicylic acid [SA] and gibberellic acid [GA₃]) and low-dose CaCl₂ were applied to chickpea genotypes exposed to different doses of NaCl salt stress. The research was established in greenhouses of the Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture Field Crops, in 2021, according to completely random plots divided into a split trial design with three replications. Inhibitory applications applied to genotypes under salt stress had a positive effect on examined traits compared to controls. Among these inhibitor applications, GA₃ was determined as the most effective, followed by SA and CaCl₂. Generally, with an increase in salt dose, all properties decreased except mean germination time and proline content. Among the genotypes, Isık-05 was found to be superior in terms of seedling and germination characteristics under salt stress, while İspanyol was more sensitive. As a result, it was predicted that chickpea plants under salt stress could be relieved by giving low levels of GA₃ in irrigation water for improved emergence and development.