Screening for chickpea germplasm resistant to Fusarium wilt disease under natural conditions of infection

Among the best ways to control chickpea wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris (Padwick) is the use of resistant genotypes. Accordingly, the resistance of forty-one different chickpea genotypes was evaluated, over two growing seasons, under natural field infection conditions. Follow-up experiments revealed that most chickpea genotypes exhibited typical yellowing and wilting symptoms associated with wilt disease. Quantifying disease incidence at different stages revealed considerable variation among chickpea genotypes ranging from 28.13% to 66.15%. Among the genotypes tested, five can be qualified as resistant and sixteen genotypes moderately resistant, while eighteen were susceptible and only two can be considered very susceptible to Fusarium wilt. The results show that disease severity increases over time, correlated with disease incidence, and vice versa. Furthermore, grain yield was negatively affected by disease incidence; however, the disease did not affect the hundred-grain weight. The genotypes characterized by resistance to wilt and combined with productive performance can be used as such or integrated into breeding programs to develop Fusarium wilt-resistant varieties.