GENETIC DIVERSITY FOR SOME NUTRITIVE TRAITS OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS IN KOSOVA

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important pulse crop with a wide range of potential nutritional benefits because of its chemical composition. Seeds from seven chickpea genotypes were evaluated for their proximate analysis for quantitative traits, protein, oil and mineral composition. The experimental material comprising 7 genotypes of chickpea was grown in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications during the vegetation periods 2013 and 2014 in Ferizaj locality, in the southern part of Kosova 35 km away from capital city Pristina. The results showed that there was wide variation among chickpea genotypes. Grain yield was 22.72 g plant(-1) while protein was 28.85 g/100 g. Genotypes FBV-RA and FBV-FE exhibited the highest protein content (mean = 29.70 g/100 g and 29.66 g/100 g, respectively). Oil content was 2.878 g/100 g. Also genotypic differences for mineral content were statistically significant. It was observed that the first three principal components explained 96.3% of the variability. Based on cluster analyses, the chickpea genotypes were classified into four main groups. Generally, results and findings suggest to be a great chance of genetic improvements in chickpea.