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EVALUATION OF CHICKPEA GERMPLASM FOR WILT RESISTANCE

AHMAD BAKHSH, SHEIKH MUHAMMAD IQBAL AND IKRAM-UL- HAQUE^*

Abstract: Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri is a devastating disease of chickpea in Pakistan. In the present study one hundred and fifty eight genotypes of recent origin were evaluated under artificial disease condition to identify genetic sources of resistance against this disease. The experiment was planted in an augmented design with single replication. Disease observations were recorded at seedling and reproductive stages. There was a considerable variation between genotypes with respect to their disease reaction at both stages of evaluation. At seedling stage the disease incidence ranged from 0% to 57.2% and at reproductive stage it varied from 0% to 100%. At seedling stage, 107 genotypes exhibited resistant response, 29 were tolerant and 22 were susceptible. On the contrary, only 3 genotypes with disease incidence 0%, 6.7% and 8.3% were resistant, 4 with disease incidence of 18.2 to 20% were tolerant and 151with disease incidence of 25% to 100% were susceptible at reproductive stage. Three genotypes, F98-75C, F98-181C and F98-193C were consistently resistant at both stages. Three genotypes (CM32/91 X PAIDAR 91, F98-166c, and F98-28C) were resistant at seedling stage and tolerant at reproductive stage whereas a single genotype (ICC 11514 x ICC422 X C44) was consistently tolerant. These genotypes may be exploited in breeding programs to pyramid resistant genes.

Pulses Programme, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad

^*Nuclear Institute of Agriculture Biology, Faisalabad

Correspondence Author's E-mail: maharbr97@yahoo.co.uk