Sources of resistance to Fusarium wilt of chickpea in Sudan

Abstract

A total of 330 chickpea genotypes were screened for resistance to Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris in a wilt-infected plot at Hudeiba Research Station, Ed-Damer, Sudan. The released kabuli cv. Shendi (NEC 2491/ILC 1335) and Jebel Marra-1 (ILC 915), and the widely-grown kabuli cv. Baladi were highly susceptible to Fusarium wilt. Conversely, kabuli cv. ICCV 2 and UC 15, and desi genotypes FLIP 85-20C, FLIP 85- 29C and FLIP 85-30C were highly resistant to the disease with less than 10% wilt incidence. ‘ICCV 2’ matured about 4 to 5 weeks earlier than the other four resistant chickpea genotypes. Two field trials were also conducted to verify the resistance of cv. ICCV 2 and the efficacy of the seed-dressing fungicides Tecto-TM and Quinolate Pro for control of Fusarium wilt. One trial was carried out in the wilt-infected plot and the other in farmers’ fields with a history of high disease incidence. In both trials, cv. ICCV 2 showed a good level of resistance to wilt and produced twice the grain yield of cv. Baladi in farmers’ fields. Both seed-dressing fungicides significantly increased seedling emergence in the wilt-infected plot, but neither significantly decreased the final incidence of dead plants, or increased the grain yield in the infected plot or the farmers’ fields. Results of this study indicate that cv. ICCV 2 is a potential variety for release in the traditional chickpea-producing areas of Sudan where Fusarium wilt and late-season soil moisture stress are major constraints to production.