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and by the time a multilinc cultivar is developed there may be other heavier
yielding pure lines available for release. The various alternatives to multiline,
such as a mixture of species, cultivars, related lines and/or isogenic lines have
been described by Groenewegen and Zadoks (1979).
In the absence of identification of physiologic races of ascochyta blight no
progress can be made towards the development of multiline cultivars, but the
development of mixture of cultivars may give some advantage. Accordingly,
three mixtures of cultivars of chickpea lines resistant to ascochyta blight were
synthesized. The cultivars used had shown differences in resistance across the
region (Singh et al. 1983) but were similar in maturity, height and seed characteristics
(Tab. 4). Equal quantity of seed of cultivars used was blended for each
mixture. The composition of these mixtures was as follows:
MCI: ILC 482, 484 and 249
MC2: ILC. 72, 202 and 3279
MC3: ILC 191, 194 and 201
Table 4
Maturity, height, seed type and size of cultivars used
in study of mixtures of cultivars.
ILC Maturity Height Seed tyie Seed size
482 Mid-late Normal Kabuli Medium
484 Mid-late Normal Kabuli Medium
249 Mid-late Normal Kabuli Medium
72 Late Tall Intermediate Small
202 Late Tall Intermediate Small
3279 Late Tall Intermediate Small
191 Late Normal Kabuli Small
194 Late Normal Kabuli Small
201 Late Normal Kabuli Small
An advanced yield trial of nine cultivars and the three mixtures was sown at
Tel Hadya and Lattakia in Syria during the 1980-81 season. The results of the
evaluation for disease are shown in "tab. 5; the mixture showed a little advantage
over the mean individual components. It is yet to be seen whether this reduced
disease infections is reflected in grain yield after the trial is harvested.