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EFFECT OF ASCOCHYTA BLIGHT ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF CHICKPEA

S.M. IQBAL, A. GHAFOOR, N. AYUB*, I. AHMAD AND A. BAKHSH

Abstract: Seven cultivars of chickpea viz., C-44, C-727, CM-72, Dasht, Parbat, NIFA-88 and Punjab-91 were tested to study the genotypic response to Ascochyta blight in terms of losses to grain yield and its components. Disease severity index of the cultivars ranged from 44 to 82%. Maximum disease at vegetative stage was recorded on C-727 followed by C-44 and Punjab-91. Minimum disease at vegetative stage was observed on Dasht. Pod infection that varied from 17 to 90% was highest on C-727 and least on Dasht. Minimum (2%) and maximum (42%) seed infection was respectively found in NIFA-88 and C-727. Comparison of data on number of pods per plant, seeds per plant, 100- seeds weight, yield per plant and yield per ha from healthy and diseased conditions revealed that the disease caused more losses to C-727, C-44 and Punjab-91 which were susceptible to blight. Dasht and NIFA-88 appeared to be tolerant to Ascochyta blight with minimum loss in yield and yield components.

National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan.