Identification of new chickpea genetic resources resistant to fusarium wilt under multi-environments

Abstract

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris) is an important biotic constraint to chickpea production worldwide. Host plant resistance is the most durable and economical way to manage these diseases. Fusarium wilt epidemics can devastate crops and cause up to 100% loss in highly infested fields under favorable conditions. The current study (funded by GRDC and ICARDA) aimed to identify new resistant genetic sources of chickpea against Fusarium wilt through multi-environment and multi-year screening. One hundred eighty chickpea genotypes were selected from the genetic resource section (GRS) of ICARDA based on the passport data using the focused identification of germplasm strategy (FIGS). The experiment was planted with an Alpha Lattice design in two locations (Terbol-Lebanon and Beja-Tunisia during the 2015, and 2016 seasons). The susceptible check (ILC482) was repeated every ten rows. The genotype (G) and genotype × environment interaction (GEI) have been conducted, and the GGE biplot analysis has indicated significant variations (p ≤ 0.001) between genotypes and environments that are due to the genotype × environment interaction. Six genotypes (IG74725, IG9050, IG6049, IG9631, IG70283, and IG8914) were highly resistant to wilt (<10% mean disease incidence) across the two locations. Also, there are nine moderately resistant genotypes for wilt (<20% mean incidence). IG70283 had the highest stability in two locations and years. The resistant genotypes identified in this study were used in ICARDA breeding programs to develop new cultivars that are more resistant to FW and more stable in different environments.