Studies on dry root rot[Rhizoctonia bataticola (Taub.) Butler] of Chickpea(Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

Dry root rot caused by Rhizoctonia bataticola (Taub.) Butler [Pycnidial stage: Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid] is a soil borne fungal pathogen. Keeping in view the importance of the disease due to change in climatic conditions, studies were conducted on distribution of the disease, cultural, morphological, pathological and molecular diversity. Effect of temperature and moisture on the disease severity was studied. Various biochemical and physiological changes associated with the development of the disease in susceptible and moderately resistant genotypes under glass house conditions were conducted at ICRISAT, Hyderabad. A survey was conducted in January, 2014 rabi cropping season in different chickpea growing locations of central (Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra) and southern (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka) India. Due to diversified weather conditions and variation in sowing dates in different states, different crop growth stages i.e. from seedling (20 days old) to podding stage were observed and the disease was observed in all the stages. The maximum dry root rot incidence was observed in Telangana (18.28%) and the least in Maharashtra (5.38%). Disease occurrence was observed irrespective of cropping system, soil types and cultivars. Mostly the disease incidence was low in the irrigated fields compared to rainfed fields.