Table_1_Exploring Combined Effect of Abiotic (Soil Moisture) and Biotic (Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.) Stress on Collar Rot Development in Chickpea.docx

Plants being sessile are under constant threat of multiple abiotic and biotic stresses within its natural habitat. A combined stress involving an abiotic and a biotic factor reportedly increases susceptibility of the plants to pathogens. The emerging threat, collar rot disease of chickpea (caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.) is reported to be influenced by soil moisture condition (SMC). Hence, we studied the influence of differential SMC viz. upper optimum (100%), optimum (80%), lower optimum (60%), and limiting (40%) soil moisture conditions on colonization and collar rot development over the course of infection in two chickpea cultivars, Annigeri (susceptible to collar rot) and ICCV 05530 (moderately resistant to collar rot). Disease incidence was found to be directly proportional to increase in soil moisture (R2 = 0.794). Maximum incidence was observed at 80% SMC, followed by 100 and 60% SMC. Expression of genes (qPCR analysis) associated with host cell wall binding (lectin) and degradation viz. endopolygalacturonase-2, endoglucosidase, and cellobiohydrolase during collar rot development in chickpea were relatively less at limiting soil moisture condition (40%) as compared to optimum soil moisture condition (80%). As compared to individual stress, the expression of defense response genes in chickpea seedlings were highly up-regulated in seedlings challenged with combined stress. Our qPCR results indicated that the expression of defense-related genes in chickpea during interaction with S. rolfsii at low SMC was primarily responsible for delayed disease reaction. Involvement of moisture and biotic stress-related genes in combined stress showed a tailored defense mechanism.</p

Table_2_Exploring the Genetic Cipher of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Through Identification and Multi-environment Validation of Resistant Sources Against Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris).DOCX

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris) of chickpea is the major limitation to chickpea production worldwide. As the nature of the pathogen is soil borne, exploitation of host plant resistance is the most suitable and economical way to manage this disease. Present study was therefore conducted with an aim to find new, stable and durable sources of resistance of chickpea against Fusarium wilt through multi-environment and multi-year screening. During 2007/2008 crop season, 130 promising genotypes having <10% wilt incidence were selected from initial evaluation of 893 chickpea genotypes in wilt sick plot at ICRISAT, Patancheru. Of them 61 highly resistant lines were selected through further evaluation in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 crop season. Finally, a set of 31 genotypes were selected to constitute a Chickpea Wilt Nursery (CWN) and tested at 10 locations in India for three cropping seasons (2010/2011, 2011/2012, and 2012/2013) coordinated through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and ICRISAT collaboration. The genotype and genotype × environment interaction (GGE) indicated significant variations (p ≤ 0.001) due to genotype × environment (G × E) interaction. Most of genotypes were resistant at two locations, ICRISAT (Patancheru) and Badnapur. On the contrary most of them were susceptible at Dholi and Kanpur indicating the variability in pathogen. GGE biplot analyses allowed the selection six genotypes ICCVs 98505, 07105, 07111, 07305, 08113, and 93706 with high resistance and stability across most of the locations and eight moderately resistant (<20% mean incidence) genotypes viz., ICCVs 08123, 08125, 96858, 07118, 08124, 04514, 08323, and 08117. As chickpea is grown in diverse agro-ecological zones and environments; these stable/durable sources can be used in future resistance breeding program to develop Fusarium wilt resistant cultivars.</p

Table_1_Exploring the Genetic Cipher of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Through Identification and Multi-environment Validation of Resistant Sources Against Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris).DOCX

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris) of chickpea is the major limitation to chickpea production worldwide. As the nature of the pathogen is soil borne, exploitation of host plant resistance is the most suitable and economical way to manage this disease. Present study was therefore conducted with an aim to find new, stable and durable sources of resistance of chickpea against Fusarium wilt through multi-environment and multi-year screening. During 2007/2008 crop season, 130 promising genotypes having <10% wilt incidence were selected from initial evaluation of 893 chickpea genotypes in wilt sick plot at ICRISAT, Patancheru. Of them 61 highly resistant lines were selected through further evaluation in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 crop season. Finally, a set of 31 genotypes were selected to constitute a Chickpea Wilt Nursery (CWN) and tested at 10 locations in India for three cropping seasons (2010/2011, 2011/2012, and 2012/2013) coordinated through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and ICRISAT collaboration. The genotype and genotype × environment interaction (GGE) indicated significant variations (p ≤ 0.001) due to genotype × environment (G × E) interaction. Most of genotypes were resistant at two locations, ICRISAT (Patancheru) and Badnapur. On the contrary most of them were susceptible at Dholi and Kanpur indicating the variability in pathogen. GGE biplot analyses allowed the selection six genotypes ICCVs 98505, 07105, 07111, 07305, 08113, and 93706 with high resistance and stability across most of the locations and eight moderately resistant (<20% mean incidence) genotypes viz., ICCVs 08123, 08125, 96858, 07118, 08124, 04514, 08323, and 08117. As chickpea is grown in diverse agro-ecological zones and environments; these stable/durable sources can be used in future resistance breeding program to develop Fusarium wilt resistant cultivars.</p