Distribution of Cicer isauricum P.H. Davis Grown as endemic in Turkey and its biotic stresses

The genus Cicer L. belongs to Fabaceae family has 49 taxa and 17 of these are native to Turkey. Distribution of Cicer isauricum P.H. Davis as an endemic species in Turkey and its biotic stress factors were determined with this study. This species is endemic for Turkey which is only known from the east of C3 grid (around Akseki/Antalya, Alanya/Antalya and Hadim/Konya). With this study, some new population belongs to this species were discovered on Güllük mountains in Antalya. Potential distribution area (extent of occurrence) of Cicer isauricum is about 7000 km2. According to these data; IUCN threat category of this species has been updated as "EN" (endangered). Biotic stresses related to the species were also determined. One of these stresses is pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera Hübner syn. Heliothis armigera Hübner) which maintains its life feeding with leaf and fresh pods. In addition to pod borer, some broomrape species (Orobanche sp.) that is as a parasite to C. isauricum were also identified. Pod borer and broomrape were found in new discovered areas and observed phenotypically. Another biotic stress is ascochyta blight which is the most important disease of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Pathogen caused ascochyta blight was diagnosed with morphologic and molecular level with sequence of ITS region belongs to fungal DNA. Sequence of ITS region of fungi was found 556 bp. As a result of BLAST analysis of the sequence, the pathogen was determined as teleomorph (sexual stage) Didymella rabiei Kovachevski which causes ascochyta blight in cultivated chickpea. To our knowledge, this is the first report of biotic stresses of Cicer isauricum in Turkey.