HOST-RESPONSE OF CHICKPEA CULTIVARS TO FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM F. SP. CICERIS

Abstract

Thirty one chickpea cultivars viz., Sanyasi, D.G-89, Flip-04, D.G-92, ICCV-95469, Flip-03, NCSO-526, ICCV-92317, ICCV-73111, NCSO-521-A, NCSO-524, Flip-09, Flip-07, NCSO-521-B, ICCV-95419, Rabbat, ICCV-14, ICCV-89511, ICCV-03, ICCV-89512, ICCV-08, K-94-95, ICCV-6, NCSO-525, Flip-9037c, Flip-901576, L-550, M-30, Flip-90c, Flip-90167c and NCSO-521 were screened against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. No cultivar was completely immune against F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. One cultivar (NCSO-524) with minimum root infection (46.67%) ranges in susceptible while all the remaining cultivar ranges highly susceptible category according to used scale. Statistically there were no significant difference between root infection of NCSO-524 and NCSO-521-B, and these two cultivars caused less plant mortality i.e 50% and 36.67%, respectively. These cultivars with minimum root infection caused significantly less reduction (due to the inoculation of F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris) in plant length and plant weight. While in most of the other cultivars there were no constant trend between the root infection and reduction in length and weight of inoculated plants lead to prove the variation in resistant and tolerance nature. Some of the cultivars which were severely infected with the test pathogen, but they showed tolerance to disease and produced better plant growth. While some cultivars badly affected and showed poor plant growth.