Fig. 4

Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of CaRab genes in six chickpea accessions exposed to salt stress (90 mM NaCl). Effect of salt treatment on transcript levels of genes: (a) CaRabA2; (b) CaRabB; (c) CaRabC; (d) CaRabD; (e) CaRabE; and (f) CaRabH. Samples were collected at three time-points, based on the number of days after the initial salt addition. Gene expression data were normalised using average units relative to transcript levels of two Reference genes, CaHsp90, Heat shock protein (GR406804) and CaEf1α, Elongation factor Elongation factor 1-alpha (AJ004960). Bars represent means relative to control plants across all time-points, which are set as 1 unit and indicated by dash-lines. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 based on in two-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey test between control and salt groups for individual genotypes (n = 4–8 ± S.E.M.)