Identification of single and multiple disease resistance in desi chickpea genotypes to Ascochyta blight, Botrytis gray mold and Fusarium wilt

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is the third most important food legume grown on 11 million ha with 7.1 million t production in over 45 countries of the world. The crop significantly contributes to human nutrition through high quality protein, soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation and diversification of cereal-based cropping systems through water use efficiency. Chickpea productivity is limited by several diseases, of which Ascochyta blight (AB) caused by Ascochyta rabiei, Botrytis gray mold (BGM) caused by Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium wilt (FW) caused by Fusarium oxypsorum f sp ciceris are predominant. These diseases can be managed by seed dressing and foliar application of fungicides. However, fungicidal management of AB and BGM is unsustainable, uneconomical and hazardous to environment.