Ascochyta blight of chickpea reduced 38% by application of Aureobasidium pullulans (anamorphic Dothioraceae, Dothideales) to post-harvest debris

Abstract

In 2004–2005, application of non-amended suspensions of Aureobasidium pullulans conidia to post-harvest chickpea debris resulted in 37.9% fewer Ascochyta blight lesions on chickpea test plants relative to controls. Analogous tests in 2006–2007 resulted in 38.4% fewer lesions. Ascospores released from debris were predominantly Davidiella sp. (anamorph, Cladosporium sp.), followed by Didymella rabiei (anamorph, Ascochyta rabiei, agent of Ascochyta blight).

Keywords:

• Ascochyta rabiei
• Cicer arietinum
• Cladosporium
• Davidiella
• Didymella rabiei

Acknowledgements

We thank Ellen Johnston, Julie Thayer, Dan Dreesmann, Wayne Olson, Sarah Jongeward, Masato Kawabe, Yung-Chun Chen and Heather Clarkson for technical assistance, and the USDA Cool Season Legume Research Program for financial support. We thank Bruce Gossen, Cheryl Cho, Mark Mazzola and Tim Paulitz for constructive comments on the manuscript.

This work was authored as part of F.M. Dugan, S.L. Lupien and W. Chen's official duties as employees of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105 no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. law.