Advances In Disease-Resistance Breeding In Chickpea

Abstract

This chapter reviews the past work on disease resistance breeding in chickpea and discusses the strategies to tackle unsolved disease problems. Methods for breeding disease-resistant chickpea cultivars are similar to those used for yield breeding, except that the segregating materials have been challenged by the pathogen and selection is made for disease resistance along with other attributes. Some of the techniques employed by breeders include hybridization and mutation. Chickpea is grown primarily by resource-poor farmers on residual moisture with little if any inputs. The short growing season at lower latitudes (0–20◦) also limits yields. The fast-rising temperatures at the reproductive phase force the crop into premature drying. Thus, yields are low (less than one t/ha). At present productivity levels, use of disease-resistant cultivars appears to be the best alternative for management of chickpea diseases.