Chickpea is an important Rabi pulse crop of India. Chickpea stunt disease (CpSd) caused by bean (pea) leaf roll virus and transmitted by aphid is an emerging disease of chickpea. It causes heavy yield losses in chickpea growing areas. An experiment was conducted to assess extent of incidence of CpSd and its effect on biomass of chickpea. Chickpea was sown in three different date of sowing at 15 days interval. Among different dates of sowing on the CpSd development was found maximum in early date of sowing followed by mid date of sowing and least in late date of sowing. Among varieties maximum incidence of stunt disease recorded in variety JG 315 was 41.72 per cent and minimum 11.94 per cent in GCP 105 in early sown crop. In mid sown crop maximum incidence of stunt disease observed in JG315 was 41.72 per cent and minimum 10.94 per cent in GCP105. Maximum incidence of stunt disease was observed in variety JG 315 was 31.63 per cent and minimum 8.09 per cent in GCP105 in late sown crop. Biomass of chickpea was adversely affected by incidence of stunt disease of chickpea. Disease plants became stunted and very sparse pod setting was observed in all three dates of sowing. Maximum reduction of biomass observed in variety JG315 was 91.72 per cent and minimum 85.88 per cent in GCP105 in early sown crop. In mid sown crop maximum reduction of biomass observed in variety JG315 was 90.28 per cent and minimum 83.06 per cent in GCP105. Maximum reduction of biomass observed in variety JG315 was 83.68 per cent and minimum 78.57 per cent in GCP105 in late sown condition of chickpea. Minimum chickpea stunt disease incidence and biomass reduction were observed during late sown condition in variety GCP105.

chickpea, biomass, stunt disease

Stunt disease of chickpea is an important disease in chickpea cultivation. The incidence of stunt showed differential response in all seven test varieties during three dates of sowing of chickpea. Stunt disease showed stunted growth of plant due to shortened plant height and very sparse pod setting. Biomass of all test cultivars was adversely affected by the stunt disease. Maximum reduction of biomass was observed in variety JG315 and minimum in GCP105 during all three dates of sowing.

Saurav Kumar and Ramesh Nath Gupta (2019). Reduction in Biomass due to incidence of Stunt Disease of chickpea. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 11(2): 196-198.