Population fluctuations and reaction of chickpea genotypes to root lesion nematodes ( Pratylenchus thornei and P. neglectus ) in Turkey

The root lesion nematodes (RLN) Pratylenchus thornei and P. neglectus are significant pests that parasitize the roots of chickpea plants and cause direct damage and indirect damage causing yield reduction. They have been widely distributed and attack many crops, especially chickpea, causing significant damage in Turkey. Therefore controlling nematode numbers is important not only for the in-season crop but for the wider rotation as well. There is little diversity for nematode resistance in domesticated chickpea. New collections have identified very high genetic diversity in Cicer reticulatum and C. echinospermum compared to domestic chickpea. The study was set up in a range of Turkish chickpea environments to evaluate the population dynamics of the root-lesion nematodes ( P. thornei and P. neglectus ) in wild and domesticated Cicer spp. to understand this new diversity harbors useful resistance. The field study was conducted in contrasting cold, long-season and hot, short-season environments (Ankara and Şanliurfa) in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. The results on population dynamics indicated that the RLNs attack started in February–March on the chickpea cultivars and population increased gradually with the growth of the plant. The maximum numbers of nematodes were extracted from roots and soil during June to mid-summer (July) and the population densities were at the lowest during cold months winter (February–March). Cicer echinospermum genotypes were more resistant to P. thornei than any C. reticulatum and C. arietinum genotypes. The low population density was observed on lines 232, 323, 412, 82 to P. thornei and 12, 32, 118, 202, and 232 to P. neglectus .