Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri

Fungal Disease

Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri

Fungal Disease

Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri

Fungal Disease

Fusarium wilt, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri, is a significant disease affecting chickpea crops worldwide. This pathogen poses a serious threat to chickpea production, impacting yield and quality. Moderate to high soil temperature above 25 DC help in disease spread.

Symptoms: Fusarium wilt can strike at any stage of the chickpea lifecycle, presenting different symptoms depending on the plant's age:

• Seedling Stage (3-5 Weeks After Sowing):

  • Whole seedlings may collapse, lying flat on the ground.
  • The leaves appear dull green, and the stem shrinks and becomes weak.
  • Dark brown or discolored internal stem tissues become visible, indicating internal damage caused by the fungus.

• Adult Stage:

  • In adult plants, symptoms include drooping of the petioles, rachis, and leaflets.
  • Eventually, the entire plant may succumb to the disease, leading to significant patches of dead plants within the field.

Impact of the Disease: Fusarium wilt leads to reduced yields due to the mortality of both seedlings and adult plants. The patches of wilted plants can expand, resulting in uneven crop stands, which complicates harvesting and affects overall productivity.

Management Strategies:

• Crop Rotation: Rotate chickpeas with non-host crops to reduce the pathogen load in the soil.
• Resistant Varieties: Planting resistant chickpea varieties can help minimize the impact of Fusarium wilt.
• Soil Health: Maintaining healthy soil through organic amendments can support plant vigor and resilience.
• Sanitation Practices: Removing infected plant debris from fields helps reduce the chances of re-infection.