I - --ii

Closing Session
Recommendations of the Workshop on
Ascochyta Blight and Winter Sowing of Chickpeas
The workshop was organized to focus attention on (i) the control of ascochyta
blight of chickpea through the development of resistant cultivars as well as by
other means and (ii) relative merit of winter sowing. The major recommendations
that emerged from the workshop are summarized below.
Ascochyta Blight
1. The existence of races of Ascochyta rabiei(Pass.) Lab. was recognized and
the need was felt to intensify work on this aspect with the possibility of
subcontracting the work to an institution loated in such a country where
chickpea is not cultivated.
2. Sexual reproduction (perfect stage: Mycosphaerella rabiei) occurs in certain
areas. There is a need to look for the perfect stage in other areas.
3. The perpetuation of Ascochyta rabieithrough seed is well established. The
minimum percentage of seed infection required for initiating an epidemic
under favorable weather conditions needs to be determined.
4. Research be undertaken on (i) mode of disease spread, (ii) distance of
inoculum movement, (iii) reasons for epidemics to occur in large geographically
contiguous regions in certain years, but not in others.
5. Plant species, other than Cicer spp., which might be infected by Ascochyta
rabiel and serve as a source of primary inoculum need be identified.
6. Recent work at ICARDA on the relationship between weather and disease
should continue with the ultimate aims of devising ways and means to
manage the disease.
In", h.
283