A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: 21 Oct 2009
Farmers are worried about a mystery disease spreading in chickpea crops in the Wimmera-Mallee [mallee is a low rainfall area with small trees and shrub vegetation - Mod.DHA].
The Department of Primary Industries [DPI Victoria] says there are several possible causes, such as a mixture of root disease, viruses and seasonal conditions, but there are no results yet from testing.
A farmer from Litchfield says most of his 80 hectare crop is affected. "Going from yellow to brown, up to 50 percent more are dead now," he said.
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[A number of fungal and viral disease problems are known to affect chickpeas in Australia. For example, in September 2009 South Australian chickpea growers were alerted to monitor their crops for ascochyta blight and botrytis grey mould (for media release and disease fact sheets see links below). Ongoing breeding programmes are set up to counteract emerging new pathogen strains. Since the problem reported above appears to be complex and is suspected to be due to more than one factor, reliable diagnosis is essential to design effective control strategies.
Maps
Australia:
Victoria:
Picture of chickpea field affected by ascochyta blight:
Links
Chickpea disease alert South Australia Sept. 2009:
<http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/mediareleases?
item_id=EF8BFC53A9CBF3A4CCC6B90AA3FE133B>
Information on ascochyta blight and botrytis grey mould:
Chickpea disease fact sheets, including aschochyta blight and botrytis grey mould:
Chickpea diseases and cultivation in Australia, background and history:
Review of major chickpea diseases and their distribution:
List of diseases and pathogens of chickpea:
DPI Victoria:
- Mod.DHA]
[see also:
2008
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Ascochyta blight, chickpea - Australia (02): (QLD) 20081008.3186 Ascochyta blight, chickpea - Australia: (QLD) 20080828.2698
2007
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Phyllody disease, chickpea - Pakistan: 1st report 20071203.3898 Fungal blights, wheat, corn & chickpea - USA (NB, MT) 20070621.2000
2004
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Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus - Syria 20040403.0912
2003
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Erwinia sp., lentil, chickpea - Canada (SK): corr'n 20031201.2975 Erwinia sp., lentil, chickpea - Canada (SK) 20031128.2943 Sclerotinia minor, chickpea - Australia (Qld) 20030625.1565 Ascochyta blight, chickpea - Chile 20030604.1368
2002
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Ascochyta blight, chickpea - USA (Nebraska) 20020710.4714 Chickpea chlorotic dwarf, sugarbeet & bean - Iran 20020509.4138
2001
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Chickpea & lentil viruses, first reports - Iran 20010921.2295
1999
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Chick pea disease (ascochyta blight) - Australia 19990731.1298]
