Albinism in F1 Hybrids Hinders Geneflow Between Cultivated Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and the Tertiary Gene Pool Species, Cicer Pinnatifidum

Abstract Wild Cicer species, especially those in the tertiary gene pool, carry useful alleles for chickpea improvement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the crossability and geneflow between three chickpea cultivars (as female parents) and four cross-incompatible Cicer pinnatifidum accessions (as pollen parents) from the tertiary gene pool. Ten crosses were conducted. One fully developed healthy F1 seed was harvested in vivo from the ICC 4958 × ICC 17269 cross, but the seedling developed an albino phenotype at 4–5 days after germination. Unlike other crosses, those involving the cultivar ICCV 96030 generated a large number of pods with comparatively large ovules. One albino plantlet was obtained from the ICCV 96030 × ICC 17269 cross by embryo rescue. Crosses involving ICCV 10 resulted in flower drop and poor pod set. These variable genotype-specific responses of pod, ovule, and seed development indicate that genetic factors affect the formation of interspecific hybrids. Although pod and seed formation in these interspecific crosses can be improved, geneflow between these materials is hindered by a strong genetic factor conferring albinism in the F1 hybrids.