Marker-assisted introgression of resistance to fusarium wilt race 2 in Pusa 256, an elite cultivar of desi chickpea

Fusarium wilt caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris causes extensive damage to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in many parts of the world. In the central part of India, pathogen race 2 (Foc 2) causes severe yield losses. We initiated molecular marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) using desi cultivar, Vijay, as a donor to introgress resistance to this race (Foc2) in Pusa 256, another elite desi cultivar of chickpea. To confirm introgression of resistance for this race, foreground selection was undertaken using two SSR markers (TA 37 and TA110), with background selection to observe the recovery of recurrent parent genome using 45 SSRs accommodated in 8 multiplexes. F1 plants were confirmed with molecular markers and backcrossed with Pusa 256, followed by cycles of foreground and background selection at each stage to generate 161 plants in BC3F2 during the period 2009–2013. Similarly, 46 BC3F1 plants were also generated in another set during the same period. On the basis of foreground selection, 46 plants were found homozygotes in BC3F2. Among them, 17 plants recorded >91% background recovery with the highest recovery percentage of 96%. In BC3F1 also, 14 hybrid plants recorded a background recovery of >85% with the highest background recovery percentage of >94%. The identified plants were selfed to obtain 1341 BC3F3 and 2198 BC3F2 seeds which were screened phenotypically for resistance to fusarium wilt (race 2) besides doing marker analysis. Finally, 17 BC3F4 and 11 BC3F3 lines were obtained which led to identification of 5 highly resistant lines of Pusa 256 with Foc 2 gene introgressed in them. Development of these lines will help in horizontal as well as vertical expansion of chickpea in central part of India

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Not AvailableOn- farm demonstrations on Trichoderma harzianum were undertaken to empower farmers and show the potential against root rot complex and wilt disease in major pulse crops. Accordingly, a project was implemented during 2008-2011 in six villages with 620 farmers under rainfed conditions of Sumerpur Block, Hamirpur district in Bundelkhand of Uttar Pradesh. The identified native strain of Trichoderma harzianum (IPT 31) was multiplied and supplied to farmers for seed treatment in chickpea, lentil and pigeonpea crops. The results showed that the overall reduction in plant mortality due to root rot complex over control was 32.1% and 14.3% in chickpea and lentil, respectively. However, the reduction in wilt incidence was observed 26.7% in chickpea and 25.9% of lentil. Further, the percent increase in yield over the control was 16.6% and 12.6% in chickpea and lentil, respectively. The additional yield in chickpea and lentil from T. harzianum application was received 1.30 q/ha and 0.93 q/ha with economic gain of 2600 and 2800/ha. The impact of T. harzianum in pigeonpea was observed to a lesser extent. The availability of soil moisture played an important role in effectiveness of Trichoderma. The increase in awareness and knowledge on nature, role and benefits of T. harzianum; methods of application, source of availability and market price was observed between 20 to 70 percent.Not Availabl

On - farm demonstrations of Trichoderma harzianum in pulse crops under rainfed conditions of Bundelkhand - A case study

On- farm demonstrations on Trichoderma harzianum were undertaken to empower farmers and show the potential against root rot complex and wilt disease in major pulse crops. Accordingly, a project was implemented during 2008-2011 in six villages with 620 farmers under rainfed conditions of Sumerpur Block, Hamirpur district in Bundelkhand of Uttar Pradesh. The identified native strain of Trichoderma harzianum (IPT 31) was multiplied and supplied to farmers for seed treatment in chickpea, lentil and pigeonpea crops. The results showed that the overall reduction in plant mortality due to root rot complex over control was 32.1% and 14.3% in chickpea and lentil, respectively. However, the reduction in wilt incidence was observed 26.7% in chickpea and 25.9% of lentil. Further, the percent increase in yield over the control was 16.6% and 12.6% in chickpea and lentil, respectively. The additional yield in chickpea and lentil from T. harzianum application was received 1.30 q/ha and 0.93 q/ha with economic gain of 2600 and 2800/ha. The impact of T. harzianum in pigeonpea was observed to a lesser extent. The availability of soil moisture played an important role in effectiveness of Trichoderma. The increase in awareness and knowledge on nature, role and benefits of T. harzianum; methods of application, source of availability and market price was observed between 20 to 70 percent

Utilization of biopesticides as sustainable solutions for management of pests in legume crops: achievements and prospects

Abstract Grain legumes remain important to meet the projected targets relating to food and nutritional security worldwide. The complementation of cereal-based food with grain legumes is a vegetarian diet with high-quality protein. However, the performance of these crops is severely influenced by a number of biotic and abiotic stresses, of which pests and pathogens remain the crucial affecting plants at different growth stages. Chemical pesticides are mainly employed across the world for management of pests and pathogens. The risk associated with the environmental pollution and health hazards to man, plants, domestic animals, and wild life makes these pesticides ecologically unacceptable. Also, major damage caused by pests of grain legumes are systemic in nature, and their management through chemicals often yields unsatisfactory outcome. This has led to increasing shift in the attention of scientific community towards eco-friendly and safer technologies for pest management in legumes. Sustainable protection demands implementation of strategies that rely upon biological control agents (BCAs) and their formulations. In recent years, such formulations have been promoted to mitigate the pest problem and improving crop yield. This review presents an updated summary on BCAs including the present status of BCA application, mode of actions, and delivery systems under controlled and field conditions to address major pest problems on legume crops