Marker assisted characterization of wilt resistance in productive Chickpea genotypes

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is one of the most wide spread disease of chickpea (Cicer arietinum). Studies indicated two major independent loci H1 and H2 determine the resistance to race-1 in chickpea. The dominant alleles at both H1 and H2 loci result in susceptible early wilting and recessive at any one (h1h1H2_ or H1_h2h2) produce susceptible late wilting and recessive at both the loci (h1h1h2h2) result in resistance. The primer pair CS-27F/ CS- 27R, termed allele specific associated primer (ASAP) linked to the allele for susceptibility at H1 locus and RAPD marker A07C linked to H2 locus of susceptibility for fusarium wilt were reported. However, single marker is not sufficient to identify resistant and susceptible genotypes as there are two independent loci governing resistance. In this study fifteen diversified genotypes including different genetic backgrounds were subjected to screening with two markers. The CS 27700 marker linked to H1 locus was absent in all other genotypes except JG 62 and Karikadle. Other marker A07C 417 linked to H2 locus was present in all genotypes except WR 315 and GBS 964. This clearly indicated that both markers CS 27 and A 07C were present in susceptible (early wilting H1H1H2H2) genotypes i.e. JG 62 and Karikadle. On the contrary both the markers were absent in resistant (h1h1h2h2) genotypes i.e. WR 315 and GBS 964. Presence of any one marker in other genotypes (K850, Bheema, Vijay, A1, BG256, KAK-2, JG-11, BGD103, ICCV-2, ICC4958 and ICCV506) indicates susceptible but late wilter. Thus, the DNA markers enable to identify susceptible and resistant lines at very early stage of growth. These markers can be used in Marker Assisted Selection to speed up conventional breeding.