Fusarium wilt of chickpea is caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, which can survive in soil for many years without a host plant. Yield losses of up to 60% have been reported in countries overseas. Chickpea is the primary host of this disease, but other legumes such as pigeon peas, lentils and field peas can also be affected.
Symptoms can develop at any stage of plant growth and vary depending on the strain. Symptoms may range from slow, progressive yellowing and late plant death to fast and severe chlorosis, wilting and early plant death. Splitting the roots of infected plants vertically can reveal a brown discolouration of the internal tissue.
