New Lines of Chickpea Against Fusarium Oxysporum f. sp. Ciceris Wilt

Abstract

Problem statement: In Mexico, 70 and 20% of chickpea is produced in Sinaloa and Sonora, respectively. In Sonora wilting by Fusarium Oxysporum f. sp. Ciceris (FOC) causes losses of up to 60%, while in other parts of the world ranged from 12-15% annually. The aim of this study was to evaluate the resistance of new lines of chickpea obtained through breeding programs against FOC wilt. Approach: In order to evaluate the resistance of new chickpea lines: Hoga-012, Hoga-490-2 and Hoga-508, including the two most important commercial cultivars in Mexico: Blanco Sinaloa-92 and Costa-2004 and as control two cultivars: JG-62 (susceptible) and WR-315 (resistant), a pathogen city test was performed with races 0 and 5 of FOC. Plants were evaluated based on leaf and root damage during 50 days, using a hedonic scale of five levels (0-4). Results: New chickpea lines as well as commercial cultivars were susceptible to races 0, 5 of FOC. Changes (P<0.05) were observed on wilting by effect of the main factors and the interaction of factors. Cultivar JG-62 showed susceptibility to all races, while WR-315 was resistant. In all treatments it was proved that wilt was caused by races of FOC. Conclusion: New lines of chickpea and commercial cultivars did not show resistance to FOC races isolated in chickpea fields of Sonora. Thus, it should be continued in the search for resistant genotypes through breeding programs to assist in controlling the disease.