Identification of ascochyta blight [Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Labr.] in Cicer anatolicum Alef. using molecular techniques

As genetic resources, crop wild relatives have useful potential for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Cicer anatolicum Alef., a perennial wild chickpea species, is resistant to ascochyta blight [Ascochyta rabiei (pass.) Labr.] of chickpea (C. arietinum L.), although it is suffered from ascochyta blight. During a collection mission of wild Cicer species, plant debries to be ascochyta blight of chickpea according to morphological observation were collected from C. anatolicum in site of Palandöken, Erzurum, Turkey. Aim of the study was to diagnosis of ascochyta blight in C. anatolicum using molecular techniques. Plant debries containing fungi were isolated from leaflets, pods and stems. The fungi produced in PDA medium. Morphological appearance of the fungi in PDA medium was detected to be similar to ascochyta blight. PCR amplification of ITS region of genomic DNA using ITS4 and ITS5 primers was sequenced. The obtained sequences were found to be 100% similar to the corresponding sequence in GeneBank for Ascochyta rabiei, telemorph of Didymella rabiei Kovachevski. Most probably the pathogen may have co-evolved with C. anatolicum since C. anatolicum was grown in long distance from the cultivated chickpea and the plant has developed a special escape ability to deal with the diseases over time.