Screening of wild cicer germplasm from the fertile crescent against four pathotypes of Ascochyta rabiei

Ascochyta blight is one of the most devastating diseases in chickpea-growing regions. Yield losses due to this disease can reach up to 100% in fields where susceptible genotypes are cultivated. To mitigate these impacts, resistant or tolerant varieties are recommended for effective disease control. However, Ascochyta rabiei, the causal pathogen, has the capacity to evolve into new pathotypes due to its genetic variability. Therefore, identifying novel sources of resistance is crucial for breeding programs. In Türkiye, four distinct pathotypes of Ascochyta rabiei are known, which differ in aggressiveness, with Pathotype IV being the most virulent. In this study, 159 wild accessions of C. reticulatum and C. echinospermum, together with seven C. arietinum genotypes comprising six registered cultivars and one desi-type genotype, were phenotypically screened against four A. rabiei pathotypes to evaluate their resistance responses. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (p < 0.01) among genotypes in their reactions to the four pathotypes. Furthermore, cluster analysis identified promising genotypes that may serve as potential resistance sources. Among the clusters, C1 exhibited the lowest mean reaction scores, highlighting its promise for breeding purposes. Notably, genotype 592, a C. reticulatum accession collected from Savur, Mardin, demonstrated resistance to all pathotypes, making it a valuable candidate for further research. Future studies will focus on elucidating the genetic background of these promising genotypes to support their integration into breeding programs aimed at enhancing resistance against Ascochyta blight.