Induction of resistance to Asochyta blight in chickpea through induced mutations

A research programme aiming at inducing new sources of resistance to Ascochyta rabiei and improving the resistance in local varieties of chickpea has been in progress for several years. Seed of different varieties were treated every year with gamma rays or EMS. Mutations for blight resistance were screened for under artificial epiphytotic field conditions in the M2 and successive generations. The selected mutants were further evaluated both under natural and artificial epiphytotic field conditions. Two resistant mutants CM 68, CM 72 and one moderately resistant mutant CM 359/78 have been induced in variety 6153, while three moderately resistant mutants 84/79, 88/79 and 113/79 have been induced in C 727 variety. Mutants CM 68 and CM 72 were further tested during 1978-81, and the resistance was confirmed. Both the mutants were also yield tested during 1980-81 and mutants were found as good for yield and yield components as the parent variety. These mutant lines may be released as commercial varieties. (author)