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where they are not present. Seed treatment, especially of resistant cultivars may
be much more effective both by preventing the entry of new races and reducing
the pathogen population and thus selection pressure. Therefore, the resistant
types that show pod infection may particularly need seed dressing.
Since the time chickpea seed infection was first detected, attempts have been
made to eradicate the pathogen by several treatment-, (Ibragimov et al. i966;
Kaiser et al. 1973; Khachatryan 1961; Luckashevich 1958; Sattar 1933; Zachos
195 1; Zachos et al. 1963). Recently, Reddy (1980) found treatment with calixin
rd (11% tridemorph + 36% maneb) alone or in combination with benlate to
completely eradicate the fungus from naturally infected seed with deep lesions.
The fungicide t~eatment did net affect the germination and there was no noticeable
phytotoxicity. Preliminary studies indicated that seed treatment could also
give protection to the seedlings against the external source of inoculum for up to
2 months. Screening of newer systemic fungicides should be undertaken.
Fokia& Protectants with Resistant Genotypes
It is expected that with the good sources of resistance available at present,
chickpea cultivars with resistance to blight will soon be developed. However,
development of cultivars with durable resistance may take time, so cultivars with
vertical resistance have to be released for cultivation. Due to the existence of
physiologic races in the blight pathogen, the effectiveness of Such resistance is
likely to be lost in time (Hanounik 1980; Singh et al. 1981; Singh, Nene and
,Reddy 1983; Vir and Grewal 1974a). The continuous monetary support for
scientific teams to cope with new races by developing new cultivars puts a
considerable financial strain on governments. Development of new races from
time to time also limits the efforts of plant breeders to make headway with yields.
The combined use of resistant genotypes and effective fungicides may help in
lengthening the life of the cultivars with vertical resistance (Hanounik 1980).
None of the resistant lines identified so far is free from infection even though
they have a very high level of resistance (Singh et al. 1981; Singh, Nene and
Reddy 1983). It is not uncommon in these lines to observe some lesions on stems
causing girdling and with heavy sporulation.Preliminary studies on inoculation of
the lines with isolates from such lesions indicated a higher disease severity. The
application of the fungicide Bravo on resistant genotype ILC 3279 was found to
reduce both disease severity and suppress the development of lesions with heavy
sporulation indicating that combined effects of resistance and fungicide may
prolong the effectivity of resistance (Hanounik 1980).
Further work on these lines with newer systerinac fungicides, different genotype
combinations under different environmental conditions with different races may
prove more fruitful.