Ata, a new chickpea variety, suitable for autumn planting in cold and temperate regions at dryland conditions

Climate changes along with recent droughts and short growth period of spring planting date are important factors causing non-economic and low yield production of chickpea in Iran. Ata variety with breeding code of x03TH148 was received from ICARDA in 2004 through Chickpea International Segregation Generations Nursery. This line was evaluated in international, preliminary, advanced and adaptability yeild trials as well as studies on fusarium wilt and ascochyta blight diseases resistance at agricultural research stations and under farmers’ fields conditions in autumn planting date.  Based on results of adaptability trials, this variety had suitable agronomic and economic characteristics such as potencial for machinery harvesting, average seed yield of 886 kgha-1, with 11% superiority to Jam check cultivar and cold tolerance to -16.9°C in the areas without snow covering during emergence. The new variety with average yield of 2061 kgha-1 showed considerable superiority to Saral check (1345 kgha-1) in farmers’ fields. Considering high seed yield, tall plant height, large seed size, suitable seed protein content, tolerance to ascochyta blight and fusarium wilt diseases and marketable traits, Ata was released and recomended for autumn sowing in the temperate and cold regions of Iran.