Tolerance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) lines to root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitwood

The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitwood is an important parasite of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Four chickpea genotypes were evaluated for tolerance to M. javanica in naturally infested fields at three locations. Each genotype was evaluated for number of galls, gall size, root area covered with galls and number of egg masses produced. All the cultivars were susceptible or highly susceptible. Seed yield, weight of 100 undamaged seeds, total dry matter and plant height were compared with checks. Chickpea cultivar Annigeri and a local check were used as nematode susceptible checks in all locations. The four promising nematode tolerant genotypes produced significantly greater yield and total dry matter than the checks in fields naturally infested with M. javanica at three locations. These M. javanica tolerant lines represent new germplasm and they are available in the chickpea genebank at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) bearing the identification numbers ICC 8932, ICC 11152, ICCV 90043 and ICCC 42.