Ascochyta blight   (Ascochyta rabie)

Introduction

This is seed borne disease. The disease is more visible and of significant importance at  flowering and podding time as patches of blighted plants in the field. Symptoms can be seen on all above-ground parts. 

Symptoms

Young shoots become turgid, droop down and die. Leaves shows small necrotic round spots having two or three concentric bands. In severe cases the spots around main stem  and at the collar region coalesces to form a girdle making vulnerable to break. 

Integrated management

• Practice of crop rotation. Avoiding chickpea crop for one year to break disease cycle often helps in reduction of incidence.

• Deep ploughing of chickpea fields to bury debris.

• Use clean certified seeds treated with Bavistin 25% + tmid @ 2.5 gm/kg.

•  Use resistant varieties. 

• Grow plants with wider spacing. 

• In case of severe foliar infection spray with captan and zinab @2.5 kg/ha at 15 days interval.