SEED-BORNE INFECTION OF ASCOCHYTA-RABIEI IN CHICKPEA AND ITS TRANSMISSION TO AERIAL PLANT-PARTS

Ascochyta blight of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), caused by Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Labrousse, was found to be both externally as well as internally seedborne in nature, with the external infection being pred ominant. The pathogen was located primarily on or in the seed coat and in very few cases penetrated into the cotyledons and, rarely, to the embryo. Seedling infection resulted from both externally as well as in ternally seedborne inoculum. The mode of fungal transmission from seed to the foliar plant parts was strictly non-systemic in nature.