Screening of chickpea germplasm for Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei) under Himalayan Region

Ascochyta blight of chickpea, caused by Ascochyta rabiei, is most prevalent in regions with cool and humid climatic conditions. The fungus exhibits significant variation in pathogenicity. The disease manifests as small, circular, brown-black lesions resembling a bull’s eye. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), one of the most widely cultivated legumes globally, plays a vital role in the economies of several countries and serves as a rich source of nutrients. However, its yield can be significantly affected by Ascochyta blight. The available resistant sources are insufficient, as resistance in existing chickpea varieties frequently breaks down due to the rapid evolution of new pathogen pathotypes. Therefore, it is essential to continuously identify new sources of resistance. The present study was conducted to identify sources of resistance to Ascochyta blight among 124 chickpea genotypes at Regional Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura, Sopore, SKUAST-Kashmir during rabi season of 2019-2020. The screening results categorized the genotypes into three groups: susceptible, tolerant, and moderately resistant. Based on percentage of disease incidence and severity, among 124 genotypes, 16 chickpea lines were identified as moderately resistant, 88 were classified as tolerant, and 20 were found to be susceptible. Further research is recommended on the inheritance of resistance, identification of existing physiological races using Marker-Assisted Selection to assess their aggressiveness, and rigorous screening of genotypes against Ascochyta blight.