Variability for virulence in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri causing wilt of chickpea
Abstract
Variability among the six isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri of chickpea collected from different locations within Ahmednagar district was studied in respect of cultural, morphological characters and pathogenecity. Three isolates produced profuse fluffy white mycelium, while three isolates produced thin flat to fluffy mycelium growth. Colony diameter ranged from 70.00 mm to 75.30 mm after seven days of incubation at 27±2°C on potato dextrose agar medium. Wilt incidence among all the six isolates was 100.00 percent in JG-62, a variety highly susceptible to wilt. But, one isolate from Shrirampur was highly virulent as evident from growth of mycelium, abundant sporulation and complete wilting in 25 DAS. The other two isolates i.e., FOC-3 and FOC-5 from Kopergaon and Rahuri were moderately virulent showing complete wilting in 28 DAS and remaining three isolates were slow in growth, moderate in sporulation and complete wilting was observed at 30–35 DAS in the susceptible variety JG-62.
