ABSTRACT
Identification of fungi causing root rot in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Mario Alvarez A.1, Aída Moreno P.2
 

Fungi were isolated from roots, collars, or stems of chickpea plants, presenting yellowing, wilting, and root necrosis, from the localities of MarchigUe, Litueche, Lolol, Paredones, Rapel, and Graneros, at the VI Region of Chile.
From 180 samples, 132 fungus colonies were isolated, 70 corresponding to the genus Fusarium, 15 to Rhizoctonia, 10 to Pythium, 5 to Botrytis, and 5 to Sclerotinia. Fusarium sp. was the most fraquent, in all the localities. Pathogenecity tests done with Fusarium sp., Pythium sp., and Rhizoctonla solani isolations showed thet all were chickpea patogens. Fusarium sp. caused wilting, foliar chlorosis and root rot. Pythium sp. caused root rot with foliar chlorosis and wilting, in seedlings, and pre-emergence damping-off, in seeds. fi. solani caused severe root rot with foliar symptoms, followed by death, in seedlings, and pre and post-emergence damping-off, in seeds.

Keywords:
1 Estación Experimental La Platina (INIA), Casilla 5427, Santiago, Chile,
2 Escuela de Agronomía, Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4, Quillota, Chile (Egresada).