Studies on variability and management of Fusarium wilt of chickpea

Abstract

newline The present investigations entitled Studies on variability and management of Fusarium wilt of chickpea was conducted in the Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, CSK HPKV, Palampur during 2018-2021. Fusarium wilt of chickpea caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht Emend. Synd and Hans f. sp. ciceris (Padwick) is a destructive soil and seed borne disease, and has become a limiting factor in chickpea cultivation. The disease incidence remained moderate during the years of study and ranged from 8.07-12.73 per cent in different districts of Himachal Pradesh. A total of 35 isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris were obtained from different regions of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining areas of Northern India.The isolates were categorized into eight groups on the basis of virulence spectra on international differentials and molecular characterization by the ISSR markers.The prevalence of four known races 1, 2, 5, 6 and four new variants was found in chickpea growing areas of Himachal Pradesh and northern parts of India.Based on molecular characterization, F. oxysporum f. sp ciceris isolates were also clustered into eight groupsat 55 percent similarity coefficient and did not show much similarity with the pathogenic variability.Among organic composts, the extract of Himcompost (25%) inhibited maximum mycelial growth up to the extent of 71.11 per cent. Among organic formulations, Panchgavya (10 %) gave maximum mycelial inhibition of 92.22 per cent. Among the test botanicals, the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Eupatorium adenophorum (25%) gave maximum mycelial growth inhibition of 61.85 and 87.11 per cent.Among bioagents, Trichoderma viride showed maximum mycelialinhibition of 63.36 percent followedby T. harzianum strain SMA-5 (61.13%).Among all the test fungicides, carbendazim 50WP (Bavistin) and carboxin 37.5% + thiram 37.5% (Vitavax power) gave cent percent mycelial inhibition at and#8805; 500 ppm. Out of 156 chickpea lines, 17 lines remained free and 27 were found resistant against F. oxysporum