CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE STRATEGY IN BREEDING CHICKPEA FOR RESISTANCE TO BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production has remained static for the p ast two decades. One major limiting factor has been susceptibility of cultivars to several biotic and abiotic stresses that adversely affect yield. In recent years, cultivars resistant to Ascochyta blight (Asco chyta rabiei [Pass.] Lab.), Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. c iceris), and cold have been bred and released in many countries. Some progress has been made in breeding for resistance to drought, insects, and cyst nematode, but not for viruses, heat, and salinity. Two or mo re stresses are of equal importance in most chickpea growing areas. Th erefore, future efforts should be directed toward the development of c ultivars with multiple-stress resistance. Proper understanding of impo rtant stresses in different countries and the genetics of resistance s hould lead to more systematic approaches to resistance breeding. Wild Cicer species hold promise and deserve attention in resistance breedin g.