Pathogenicity of fungi isolated from Cicer arietinum (chickpea) grown in north-western Victoria

Abstract

Several diseases, Botrytis grey mould, Fusarium wilt, Rhizoctonia root rot, Phoma blight and Sclerotinia stem rot, affecting chickpea grown in north-western Victoria were identified. Although the diseases Fusarium oxysporum and Phoma medicaginis) were are caused by different fungi, they can all cause chickpea plants to wilt and are therefore easily confused. Some pathogens (Ascochyta pisi, Botrytis cinerea, seed-borne and seed transmission may be an important factor in their spread. Pathogenicity studies showed that chickpea plants were also susceptible to common fungal pathogens of field peas and medics.