Quantitative analysis of defense related genes of chickpea against Fusarium wilt

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important pulse crop, and the wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is a major threat for its production. Host -pathogen interaction was studied during present investigation in resistant (WR 315) and susceptible (JG 62) cultivars of chickpea after inoculation of a highly virulent isolate of the pathogen (Foc 53, race 4) by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) with four defense related genes, namely, PR10, superoxide dismutase, metallothionein and LRR protein kinase. Resistant cultivar showed higher activation of all defense related transcripts. Temporal expression of these genes showed highest expression, 2 to 4 days after inoculation. Expression of superoxide dismutase, metallothionein and LRR protein kinase has proved that oxidative burst has major role against Fusarium wilt disease.