Evaluation of Gene-based Markers against Fusarium Wilt Disease in Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.)

Chickpea is an important legume crop owing to their nutritional worth. Due to the increasing population issue, it is needed to maintain the productivity of chickpeas to fulfill the requirements. At present, the main constraints in chickpea production are the Fusarium wilt disease. Forty genotypes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) including RVG-203 as check variety were screened against Fusarium wilt resistance using six gene-based markers. Out of which five STMS markers showed polymorphism and amplified the alleles linked to resistance and susceptibility to Fusarium wilt disease in chickpea genotypes. The highest polymorphic information content (PIC) value was obtained with STMS Marker TR-29 and the least with STMS Marker TR-19. Based on molecular characterization, the genotypes produced similar allele as produced in the check variety RVG-203 and were identified as sources of resistance against Fusarium wilt. The results obtained in the present study open a window to use these genotypes as donor parents for the development of Fusarium wilt-resistant chickpea varieties through hybridization programs.