Identification of Novel Sources of Resistance to Ascochyta Blight in a Collection of Wild Cicer Accessions

Abstract

Chickpea production is constrained worldwide by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Ascochyta rabiei, the causal agent of ascochyta blight (AB). In order to reduce the impact of this disease, novel sources of resistance are required in chickpea cultivars. Here, we screened a new collection of wild Cicer accessions for AB resistance and identified accessions resistant to multiple, highly pathogenic isolates. In addition to this, analyses demonstrated that some collection sites of Cicer echinospermum harbour predominantly resistant accessions, knowledge that can inform future collection missions. Furthermore, a genome-wide association study identified regions of the Cicer reticulatum genome associated with AB resistance and investigation of these regions identified candidate resistance genes. Taken together, these results can be utilised to enhance the resistance of chickpea cultivars to this globally yield-limiting disease.

Wild and Domestic Differences in Plant Development and Responses to Water Deficit in Cicer

“…However, at that time the world collection of wild, Cicer was far too narrow to adequately characterize the adaptive potential of any species, including those that can readily cross with domestic chickpea, with only 18 independent accessions of Cicer reticulatum, the wild progenitor, and even less for its close relative, Cicer echinospermum (Berger et al, 2003). This has changed recently with extensive new collection across the habitat range of both these species in Southeastern Anatolia (von Wettberg et al, 2018) that is driving renewed interest in trait discovery in these CWRs (Reen et al, 2019;Newman et al, 2020).…”

Resistance to root‐lesion nematode Pratylenchus neglectus identified in a new collection of two wild chickpea species (Cicer reticulatum and C. echinospermum) from Turkey

“…to stem damage from a mixture of Ascochyta blight strains(Newman et al, 2021). The C. reticulatum accession CudiB_008B produced one of the lowest P. neglectus population densities in this study and was also highly resistant to an Ascochyta blight mixture on the stem area and tolerant for the leaf area(Newman et al, 2021).…”

“…to stem damage from a mixture of Ascochyta blight strains(Newman et al, 2021). The C. reticulatum accession CudiB_008B produced one of the lowest P. neglectus population densities in this study and was also highly resistant to an Ascochyta blight mixture on the stem area and tolerant for the leaf area(Newman et al, 2021). However, it should be noted that unlike this current study, previously publishedstudies on the new collection were focused only on the 2013 collection mission.…”

Differentiation of an Iranian resistance chickpea line to Ascochyta blight from a susceptible line using a functional SNP

“…Cultivation of resistant cultivars of chickpea against AB has been considered as an economic solution but due to the genetic diversity and high pathogenicity in the population of this fungus (Shokouhifar et al 2003b ; Hosseinzadeh Colagar and Barzegar 2008 ; Poorali Baba et al 2008 ) identification of sustainable resistance sources has been considered as a main goal in most chickpea breeding programs (Shokouhifar et al 2006 ; Kanouni et al 2011 ; Newman et al 2021 ). Based on the study of genetic diversity of global chickpea germplasms using sequencing methods, it has been determined that Iran is one of the main routes for chickpea spread from Turkey to North Africa and India (Varshney et al 2021 ).…”