Abstract

Fusarium wilt is one of the most important diseases on chickpea crop grown in Indian subcontinent, leading huge damage in crop productivity. A study was conducted during 2016 to 2019 at the field of Shri Shivaji College of Arts, Commerce and Science, Akola, Maharashtra, India to investigate the wilt resistance and role of phytoalexin medicarpin as a defense compound in the different cultivars of chickpea. Four Chickpea cultivars (Digvijay, Vijay, Jaki and JG-62) were analyzed in vivo and in vitro for natural and induced level of antimicrobial compound i.e., phytoalexin medicarpin in their leaves to confirm their resistance status against fusarium wilt. It was observed that, medicarpin content in leaves of naturally grown chickpea cultivars increases gradually from 10th day after germination. However, the initial content and rate of increase differ in all four cultivars. In leaves of cultivar Digvijay and Vijay it was found to increase till fruiting stage and maturity with disease incidence of 7 and 12%, respectively. In cultivars Jaki and JG-62, it starts declining from flowering onwards with disease incidence of 34 and 38% respectively. The in vitro studies showed that, the medicarpin content in cotyledons and seedlings elicited with fusarium cell wall elicitor (FCWE) was highest on fourth day of elicitation but the content was significantly lesser in Jaki and JG-62 as compare to Digvijay and Vijay. This indicates that, medicarpin is an essential compound in chickpea which play vital role in defending fusarium wilt either solely or in synergistic action with other defense related compounds.