RESISTANCE TO ASCOCHYTA BLIGHT IN CHICKPEA - GENETIC-BASIS

Genetic regulation of host resistance in chickpea-Ascochyta rabiei interaction system is governed by two dominant complementary genes each in the genotypes GLG 84038 and GL 84099, whereas the resistance in a black seeded genotype ICC 1468 was controlled by one dominant and one recessive independent gene. In all the genotypes, resistance is operated by inter-allelic interactions. The genes conferring resistance in GLG 84038 were found to be different to those operating in GL 84099 and ICC 1468. Among the five dominant genes dispersed in 3 genotypes under study, at least one has been reported for the first time, as to date, only three dominant genes have been reported in the literature. The four identified dominant genes in GLG 84038 and GL 84099 have been named as Arc1, Arc2 (in GLG 84038) and ArC3, Arc4 (in GL 84099). The undistinguished dominant gene in ICC 1468 has been named as Arc5(3,4) as it could not be equated or differentiated from Arc3 or Arc4. The recessive gene in ICC 1468 has been named as Arc1. Generation mean analysis of the 6 resistant x susceptible crosses involving the same genotypes, revealed that the genes conferring resistance in any of the 3 genotypes did not follow simple Mendelian inheritance but were influenced by inter allelic interactions. Additive gene effect along with dominance were operative in all the 3 genotypes under study in conferring resistance. However, the mechanism of resistance in GLG 84038 and GL 84099 were primarily additive in nature while that in ICC 1468, dominance as well as dominance x dominance interactions were more important than additive gene action.