Distribution and pathogenicity of Cicer arietinum infecting fungi in Tunisian agricultural lands

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Abstract
Chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) ranks as one of the world’s leading legume crops, valued for its protein-packed edible seeds and contribution to soil fertility. However, chickpea cultivation encounters various biotic stresses, particularly fungal diseases, significantly impacting its productivity. In this study, a collection of 178 fungi, belonging to six geographical locations, was isolated from root and aerial tissues showing signs of fungal infection. The pathogenicity tests revealed that 75% of these fungi exhibited varying degrees of pathogenicity, with very pathogenic fungi representing the largest fraction (39%). Among these, 20 highly pathogenic fungal isolates were identified, representing eight different morphological types. Using rDNA ITS-sequencing, we classified these isolates into three genera and five distinct species, including four newly identified pathogens of chickpea: Fusarium foetens, Fusarium boothii, Macrophomina pseudophaseolina, and Aspergillus alliaceus. Molecular characterization and morphological analysis highlighted the prevalence of the genus Fusarium and the species F. foetens across all investigated sites. These results provide key insights into chickpea fungal pathogens, aiding crop management.
Funding Information
  • Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia (L2AD2020-2023)

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