Tolerance in chickpea to Meloidogyne javanica

Forty-seven chickpea cultivars were appraised for resistance and tolerance to the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica by assessing their growth in nematode-infested, and nematode-free soils. Based on the number of galls, gall size, root area covered with galls and the number of egg masses produced, ail the cultivars were susceptible. Nematode infection caused stunting, yellowing, premature drying, and shedding of leaves. Regression analysis showed that plant height, and shoot, root, and pod mass decreased with increasing levels of nematode infestation. Flowering in two late-maturing cultivars, 'Pant G 114 and Phule G 1, was delayed in nematode-infested soil while in early maturity cultivars flowering was either advanced or not influenced by nematode infection. Ratio of dry shoot mass in infested and in nematode-free soils revealed that cultivars Pant G 114, Phule G 1, GNG 146 and Annigiri had low level of tolerance to M. javanica. The tolerance threshold of cultivars Bheema, N 31 and N 59 ~as about 4.0 eggs g-I soil. Calcium uptake by tolerant cultivar N 31 from nematode-infested soil was greater than that by intolerant cultivar Phule G 1. Performance of the promising tolerant cultivars N 31, N 59, ICCC 42 and a promising breeding tine ICCV 90043 was better than other chickpea genotypes in a farmer's field infested with mixed population of M. javanica and M. incognita.