Evaluation of Drought Resistance of Bitter Vetch Ecotypes in Rafsanjan, Iran

The aim of this research was to assessment of drought tolerance in bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) ecotypes. For this purpose, 16 ecotypes collected from four provinces (East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Ardabil and Zanjan) of Iran, were evaluated using randomized complete block design with four replications in three separate experiments (60, 90 and 120 mm water evaporation from A pan) during 2017-2018 growing season in the Research Field of Faculty of Agriculture at Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan. The result of combined analysis of variance showed there were significant differences at 1% level between the ecotypes for all traits except thousand kernel weight in their reaction to drought stress. Drought stress caused decrease in stem height, root length, pod number per plant, seed number per pod, seed number per plant, biomass and grain yield, significantly. Ecotype Byghout produced the most biomass (by an average of 82.345 g/m2) and grain yield (by an average of 35.038 g/m2) over all irrigation levels. Means comparisons showed that ecotypes Ghareaghaj and Byghout (respectively) was more stable in biomass production as well as ecotypes Byghout and Saghazchi (respectively) was more stable in grain yield production across all irrigation levels. In general, these ecotypes that were less affected by drought stress can be used as promising genotypes in future breeding programs with the objective of enhanced drought resistance.