IMAGE 2.

Effects of heat stress (HS) in chickpea (reproductive phase) in comparison to control plants. Healthy flower bud under in the control condition (a), aborted bud under HS (b), healthy flower under in the control condition (c), aborted flower under HS (d), healthy pod under in the control condition (e), aborted pod under HS (f), mature filled pod under in the control condition (g), unfilled mature pod under HS (h), dissected flower showing the healthy anther under in the control condition (i,j), distorted exposed anther under HS (k,l), healthy style and stigma under in the control condition (m,n), noticeable distorted shriveled stigma and style under HS (o,p), healthy flower pollen load under in the control condition (q,r), reduced pollen load under HS (s,t), healthy viable pollen grains under in the control condition (u,v), and distorted and shriveled pollen grains (w,x) as a sign of HS sensitivity to heat stress (HS).