Chickpeas: What happened last year and what to do in 2011

摘要

The 2010 winter season was exceptionally wet, with rainfall totals and the number of rainy days far exceeding long term averages. For example, at Goondiwindi 416 mm of rain fell on 57 days (44 days >1.0 mm) between June 1 and November 30, compared with a long-term average of 263 mm on 34 days (26 days >1.0 mm). This pattern encouraged rapid vegetative growth of crops and was ideal for the build-up and spread of the major chickpea pathogens. Ascochyta blight (AB, caused by Ascochyta rabiei), Botrytisgrey mould (BGM, caused by Botrytis cinerea), Phytophthora root rot (PRR, caused by Phytophthora medicaginis) and Sclerotinia rot (caused by Sderotinia sderotiorum and Sderotinia minor) were widespread and severe in many crops. Water logging was common and compromised the plant's natural defences against pathogens.