A study of 25 chickpea genotypes was conducteded for genetic diversity and screening for drought resistant genotypes. The experiment was carried out during the growing season of 2002- 2003 at Kermanshah Agricultural Research Station. A randomized complete block design with four replications was employed under the two normal and irrigation deficit conditions. The drought tolerance indices, including Mean Productivity (MP), Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP), Stress Tolerance Index (STI), Tolerance Index (TOL), and Stress Susceptibility Index (SSI) were determined. Results indicate differences among the genotypes for all calculated indices, confirming the genetic variation. Therefore selection is possible for drought resistance as well as use in hybridization for breeding programs. Likewise results of genotype evaluation for different indices revealed that genotypes 6, 9, 1, 24, 12 and 21 were tolerant to drought performing well under the two different conditions. Correlation analysis among indices demonstrated that GMP, MP, and STI indices are useful in separateing genotypes of group A (genotypes that yield higher both under stress and non stress conditions) from those in the other groups. On the other hand they constituted the most suitable indices for screening chickpea genotypes best reacting under normal and deficit irrigation conditions. Relationships among all indices have been shown by use of multivariate biplot method. The results revealed that genotypes 6, 9, 1, 24, 12 and 21 were located near to the vectors of drought tolerance indices i. e. MP, GMP and STI. Cluster analysis revealed the same results, based on the three indices.
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