IMPORTANCE, CHARACTERIZATION AND INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF FUSARIUM WILT (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri) OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum) IN NORTHERN SHOA, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Chickpea is one of the principal pulse crops in Ethiopia. However, chickpea Fusarium wilt (CFW) is the major threating factor for chickpea production. Thus, a field survey was conducted to assess the prevalence, incidence and association of biophysical factors with CFW, and evaluate the effect of integrated disease management through tolerant varieties and planting dates on CFW epidemics and grain yield in Northern Shoa of Amhara, Ethiopia. A total of 63 fields were purposively surveyed from five major chickpea growing districts viz., Ensaro, Merhabete, Menz Mama, Mojana Wedera and Moretena Jiru. Field experiments were conducted at Alem Ketema and Enewari by integrating four chickpea varieties with three planting dates. Treatments were factorial arranged in RCBD with three replications. The disease was 100% prevalent in all the study areas. High CFW incidence (50.19%) and severity (50.29%) were observed at Ensaro district, while low CFW incidence (34.27%) and severity (34.27%) were recorded at Mojana Wedera district. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association of the disease with different biophysical factors. In the model, district, crop growth stage, plant population, soil type and soil moisture were significantly associated with CFW incidence and severity. The highest (>40%) wilt incidence and severity were highly associated with Ensaro, district, grey soil type, pod setting growth stage, low to medium plant population and dry soil moisture condition. In this study, 26 FOC isolates were identified using cultural, morphological and pathogenic variability study. Regarding the field experiment, interaction effects of sowing date-3 x variety Mastewal resulted maximum grain yield (1341.36 and 1331.85 kg ha-1 ) and showed minimum CFW incidence (10.20 % and 35.83%) and AUDPC (196.58 and 483.36%-day-1 ) at Alem Ketema and Enewari, respectively. The study confirmed that CFW is highly prevalent in the study areas and the pathogen is also highly variable. Thus, the situation calls for designing of effective CFW management options by targeting important biophysical factors that influences the disease pressure