yield gap analysis of chickpea under semi-arid conditions: a simulation study

yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. to identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the ssm-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of razavi khorasan province. the average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield was 1026 kg ha-1 indicating a 54% reduction in yield due to adverse soil moisture conditions. also, the average irrigated and rainfed actual yields were respectively 64% and 79% less than simulated potential and water limited yields. maximum and minimum yield gap between potential yield and actual yield were observed in quchan and torbat-jam respectively. generally, yield gap showed an increasing trend from the north (including nishabur, mashhad, quchan and daregaz regions) to the south of the province (torbat- jam and gonabad). in addition, yield gap between simulated water limited potential yield and rainfed actual yield were very low because both simulated water limiting potential and average rainfed actual yields were low in these regions. yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. to identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the ssm-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of razavi khorasan province. the average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield was 1026 kg ha-1 indicating a 54% reduction in yield due to adverse soil moisture conditions. also, the average irrigated and rainfed actual yields were respectively 64% and 79% less than simulated potential and water limited yields. maximum and minimum yield gap between potential yield and actual yield were observed in quchan and torbat-jam respectively. generally, yield gap showed an increasing trend from the north (including nishabur, mashhad, quchan and daregaz regions) to the south of the province (torbat- jam and gonabad). in addition, yield gap between simulated water limited potential yield and rainfed actual yield were very low because both simulated water limiting potential and average rainfed actual yields were low in these regions