EFFECT OF SOIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON CHICKPEA WILTS DISEASE CAUSED BY FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM F. SP. CICERIS.

Abstract

Environmental and soil conditions had a significant influence on development of chickpea wilt disease incidence caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (Padwik) Matuo & K. Sato during two years of research. Influence of soil and environmental factors at two different stages of chickpea crop i.e. seedling stage and maturity stage showed that maximum/minimum air temperature, soil temperature and soil moisture contributed significantly in disease development during both years. The contribution of maximum air temperature was explained by linear regression which showed 90-99% variability in disease development on 4 highly susceptible lines during the both years of investigations while minimum air temperature showed 83-99% contribution in the disease development. Linear regression for soil temperature and soil moisture exerted 79-96% and 90–99% influence in disease development. The linear regression could not explain the contribution of rainfall during the both years of research.