SOURCES OF RESISTANCE TO ASCOCHYA BLIGHT IN WILD CICER SPECIES

Ascochyta blight [Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Lab.] is the major foliar d isease of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). In search of better sources o f resistance to ascochyta blight, 201 accessions of 8 annual wild Cice r species were evaluated in field and greenhouse for 3 years (1988 to 1991) at Tel Hadya, Syria. One accession each of C. judaicum Boiss (IL WC 165) and C. pinnatifidum Jaub. & Spach. (ILWC 159) were consistentl y rated resistant in both field and greenhouse evaluations. Another th ree accessions of C. judaicum (ILWC 61, ILWC 154, ILWC 199) and six ac cessions of C. pinnatifidum (ILWC 78, ILWC 88, ILWC 155, ILWC 160, ILW C 162, ILWC 203) were resistant or moderately resistant. The blight-re sistant accessions of C. judaicum originated from Jordan, Lebanon, Syr ia, and Turkey; and those of C. pinnatifidum from Syria and Turkey. No ne of the accessions of C. bijugum, C. chorassanicum, C. cuneatum, C. echinospermum, C. reticulatum and C. yamashitae were resistant to blig ht.