Identification of resistance to Pratylenchus thornei , P. neglectus , P. penetrans and Ditylenchus dipsaci in Turkish accessions of five wild chickpea species ( Cicer bijugum, C. echinospermum, C. pinnatifidum, C. reticulatum and C. turcicum )

Plant-parasitic nematodes feed and reproduce in chickpea roots. Root-lesion nematodes are one of the most important biotic factors to limit chickpea production in the world. The best strategy for management to control these nematodes is to use resistant chickpea cultivars. While wild annual Cicer species have previously been used to introgress resistance genes into cultivated chickpea, their potential was not well characterized because of a very limited global germplasm collection. This changed recently with widespread collection in SE Turkey. In this study, a total of 894 8 C. bijugum 229 C. echinospermum 478 C. reticulatum 178 C. pinnatifidum 1 C. turcicum accessions from 2013 to 2016 collection mission of 71 collection sites and 27 provinces of Turkey were selected to identify resistance genotypes to RLN ( P. thornei, P. neglectus , P. penetrans ) and D. dipsaci under laboratory conditions. Results indicated a very strong Cicer species by nematode species interaction at the significance level ( P < 0.001). Wild Cicer species were more resistant to nematodes than domestic. C. echinospermum was more resistant to P. thornei than other species. By contrast, C. reticulatum and C. bijugum were more resistant to P. neglectus than C. echinospermum . The development population density of P. thornei and P. neglectus differed significantly among collection sites in Turkey. The most resistant genotypes to both root-lesion nematodes was diagnosed in the collection sites of Diyarbakir, Mardin, Sirnak, and Urfa provinces to other collection sites in Turkey. This finding will be useful for resistance management of nematodes in chickpea and developing counter measures to increase the spread of resistance.