EPIDEMIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF CHICKPEA FUSARIUM WILT IN ETHIOPIA

Survey & experiments were conducted on chickpea fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris) in sick plot, farmers'' field, laboratory & glass house to determine the distribution & incidence & to evaluate the effects of sowing date, variety, seedbed preparation method, biocontrol agent & biofumigation with Brassica carinata for the management of disease. Surveys result showed disease distributed in all assessed areas. Field experiments at wilt sick plot & naturally wilt infested indicated that Shasho was the most resistant variety to wilt, followed by Marye. Mortality of the susceptible check, JG-62, due to wilting was 100%. The farmers'' sowing date & the raised beds exhibited relatively lower rate of mortality due to fusarium wilt. Trichoderma isolates were collected from soils grown with chickpea. In potted experiment isolates treatment on two chickpea varieties showed reduced wilt incidence, delayed disease onset with varying magnitude. Biofumigation experiments in the glass house with Brassica carinata as green manure, seed meal & dried plant residue against wilt results showed that reduced incidence of chickpea fusarium wilt over the control.