Survey and estimation of chickpea wilt incidence caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris in Uttarakhand

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the important rabi pulse crop grown Uttarakhand India. The crop is nearly infected by 172 pathogens. Amongst them Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is one of the major diseases of chickpea causing losses to the tune of 100 percent in severe condition. A comprehensive survey was conducted to assess the prevalence and distribution of chickpea wilt disease across major chickpea-growing regions in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand. The study covered various geographic locations to evaluate disease incidence and identify areas of high vulnerability. In the Garhwal region, the highest disease incidence was recorded in Jolly Grant (14.75%) of the Doiwala block, followed by Raiwala (13.9%) and Rishikesh (13.09%). The lowest incidence was observed in Nasirabad (0.5%) in the Laksar block of Haridwar district. In the Kumaon region, Pantnagar reported the highest disease incidence (29.3%), followed by Khamiya in the Rudrapur block (28.45%), while the lowest incidence was recorded in Danthi (5.17%) in the Champawat block. These findings highlight significant spatial variations in disease incidence, influenced by regional and environmental factors. The data emphasize the need for location-specific disease management strategies to mitigate chickpea wilt disease and enhance agricultural productivity in Uttarakhand.