Virulence diversity of Ascochyta rabiei the causal agent of Ascochyta blight of chickpea in the western provinces of Iran

Chickpea is the third most important food legume in the world. The most important limiting factor for the chickpea production in the world, including Iran, has been the Ascochyta blight. The pathogenic variation of 40 Ascochyta rabiei isolates from the western provinces of Iran was assessed on eight chickpea differential lines. The results revealed that A. rabiei population is diverse in the western provinces of Iran and the virulence rating of isolates across differential lines showed a large but continuous pathogenic variability. Based on the statistical analysis and the continuous response in differential lines, it was not possible to categorise A. rabiei isolates in the present study into pathotypes or races. Information obtained from the current study can be valuable in developing quarantine methods aimed to prevent dissemination of highly virulent isolates and in the development of durable resistant cultivars against the Ascochyta blight of chickpea.