Ankita, Prashant Mishra, Ramji Singh, Kamal Khilari, D.V. Singh, M.K. Yadav and Abhinav Ti
Abstract
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important pulse crops in the world, valued not just for its high protein content but also for its role in improving soil health through nitrogen fixation. Despite its benefits, chickpea cultivation faces serious challenges from various pests and diseases, especially fungal infections. One of the most damaging among these is collar rot, caused by the fungus Sclerotium rolfsii, which can significantly reduce seedling establishment and overall yield. To tackle this problem, itâs important to identify chickpea varieties that can naturally resist or tolerate the disease. This study involves 32 different germplasm lines revealed promising results. Varieties like IPC 2006-77, JG 16, WCG 10 and GNG 2299 stood out for their strong resistance to collar rot and could be excellent choices for farmers in disease-prone areas. Another line, IPC 21-123, also showed good resistance and strong germination, but its lighter seed weight might reduce its appeal in the market. Germplasms, such as IPC 17-137, Vallabh Kabuli Chana-1, IPCL 4-14 and IPC 2007-28, showed moderate resistance and acceptable levels of germination and seed weight, making them fairly reliable options. On the other hand, lines like GJG 0814, Vallabh Kallar Chana1 and IPC 21-117 performed well in terms of germination and seed weight, but their susceptibility to collar rot could limit their use in areas where the disease is common. Unfortunately, varieties like JG 14, HC 5, DCP 92-3 and Annigeri-1 were found to be highly susceptible, making them less suitable for cultivation in affected regions.