Identification of Resistant Genotypes and Integrated Management of Dry Root Rot of Chickpea

Abstract

Background: Dry root rot is an economically important soil borne disease of chickpea in India. The pathogen, Rhizoctonia bataticola, is a soil borne fungus resulting in significant losses in yield. Therefore, the present investigation was aimed to identify the management strategy of disease through identification new sources of resistance and integrated management of disease. Methods: R. bataticola was isolated and purified by using hyphal tip technique and molecular detection was done by using ITS primers. One hundred chickpea germplasm entries were screened under in both field and advanced phenotyping in glass house. The field trials on integrated management of the disease were conducted with different treatments using randomized block design. Result: Fourteen resistant and five moderately resistant genotypes were identified under artificial epiphytotic conditions. Advanced screening of these 19 genotypes under phenotyping technique yielded four resistant and five moderately resistant genotypes. Among nine treatments, seed treatment with mancozeb 50% + carbendazim 25% WP @ 3.5 g/kg followed by soil drenching of mancozeb 50% + carbendazim 25% WP @ 3 g/l water to infected and surrounding plants was found highly effective by recording least disease incidence with highest seed yield, test weight and benefit cost ratio.