Practice Abstract 44 - Chick pea cultural guide – Portugal – DISEASES

Short title (native language): 
Chick pea cultural guide – Portugal – DISEASES

Short summary for practitioners (native language): 
The main disease of chickpea is Ascocytosis. Ascocytosis is a disease caused by a fungal pathogen called Ascochyta rabiei. The disease begins in the vegetative phase when the crop starts to produce exudates. Exudates create a moist environment throughout the plant, which combined with temperatures about 20-25ºC create the ideal conditions for fungal infection.
Ascocytosis attacks leaves, stems, flowers and fruits and if it left unchecked can cause the total loss of plants in the field.
The symptoms are circle-shaped necrosis with the black pycnidia in the center.
An infection vector may be the infected crop residues and therefore chickpea production should not be repeated on the same parcel for 4 to 5 years.
Using seed treated with fungicide is the first step against ascocytosis.

To control and eliminate the infection in the field , the approved fungicides may be applied: