VIEW ARTICLE

Fungal Root Rots and Wilt of Chickpea in California. F. V. Westerlund, Jr., Research Assistant, R. N. Campbell, Professor of Plant Pathology, and K. A. Kimble, Staff Research Associate IV, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis 95616. Phytopathology 64:432-436.

At least five fungi, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, F. solani f. sp. pisi, Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Macrophomina phaseoli cause root rot and wilt of chickpeas in the central coastal area of California.  Inoculation with the different fungi in greenhouse studies reproduced disease symptoms observed in the field.  Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi and F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri caused similar yellowing and wilting of the shoots, but the fomer caused distinctive black root lesions and the latter, vascular discoloration extending to the top of the shoot.  F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri was found in only 6% of the wilted plants whereas F. solani f. sp. pisiwas found in 47%.  This is the first report that F. solani f. sp. pisi is an important chickpea pathogen in California.  Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri may require wounding for efficient infection, but F. solani f. sp. pisi does not.  Also, F. solani f. sp. pisi was carried on a low percentage of seeds, but there was no evidence that F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri was seedborne.  No virus diseases were observed during 1971-1972.