Chickpeas CHICKPEAS INTRODUCTION – Lessons from 2008 VARIETY DESCRIPTIONS denotes plant breeders rights apply. Chickpeas are a valid crop option as a number of varieties with improved ascochyta blight resistance, high yields and Desi type – FLIPPER good adaptation are now available to growers. Variety Has moderate ascochyta blight resistance and when grown selection must be based on ascochyta blight pressure, yield in Victoria is likely to require strategic fungicide and marketing opportunities, knowing that disease applications (2‐4 sprays) throughout the growing season. management is critical to success. Flipper is best adapted to the higher rainfall regions of north‐central NSW. Flipper yields less than Howzat (in the It is very important to know the ascochyta blight resistance absence of ascochyta blight) and similar to Genesis 508. rating for your chosen variety and understand the disease Bred by NSW DPI, tested as 93011‐1021 and marketed by management package associated with growing that variety. AWB Seeds. Resistant varieties, such as Genesis™ 509 and Genesis™ 090, still require a foliar fungicide application at podding to Desi type – GENESIS TM 508 reduce seed infection, maximise quality and prevent yield Has good ascochyta blight resistance and is likely to loss. Moderately resistant varieties, such as Almaz and require only one fungicide application during podding. Genesis™ 114, require 2‐4 strategic fungicide applications Seed is less preferred than Howzat and lower prices are to prevent yield loss. paid for grain. Genesis 508 is lower yielding than Howzat (in the absence of ascochyta blight) in short season areas Yields of the new ascochyta blight resistant varieties are such as the Mallee and when the season ends relatively similar to the varieties widely grown prior to the ascochyta early. Therefore it is only suited to areas with greater than blight outbreak in 1998. The yields of Genesis™ 509 and 380mm annual rainfall on heavier soils (eg Wimmera grey the kabuli variety Genesis™ 090 are comparative with the clays) and on sandy loam soils in the northern Wimmera desi varieties widely grown prior to 1998. The yields of and southern Mallee. Genesis 509 is a good replacement for Almaz and Genesis™ 114 are lower than Genesis™ 509 and Genesis 508 due to its superior adaptation. Released 2005 Genesis™ 090 but comparative or better than the large and marketed by Australian Agricultural Crop seeded kabuli variety, Kaniva, grown prior to 1998. Commodities.

A larger range of chickpea types are now available to Desi type – GENESIS TM 509 farmers, creating greater marketing opportunities than in Has good ascochyta resistance and is likely to require only the past. However, this also means that understanding one fungicide application during podding. Seed is less markets is an important part of variety selection. preferred than Howzat and similar to Genesis 508. Genesis 509 yields similarly to Howzat and higher than Genesis Genesis 508™ and Genesis™ 509 are Tyson or older desi 508. It has shown broad adaptation and is suited to both chickpea types suited more to splitting than whole seed the Wimmera and Mallee regions. Released 2007 and markets. A new desi release is anticipated in 2010, marketed by Australian Agricultural Crop Commodities. CICA0503, which is expected to be suitable for both the whole and splitting markets (Howzat type), and if so Desi type – HOWZAT should attract a small premium over Genesis™ 509. Susceptible to ascochyta blight, Howzat has moderate early vigour. Initially prostrate rather than erect, but standing The smaller seeded, ascochyta blight resistant, high ability improves towards maturity. Early flowering with yielding kabuli variety Genesis™ 090 creates opportunities brown grain of medium size. Howzat is less susceptible to in the 7‐8 mm kabuli market. Another small kabuli variety botrytis grey mould than most current varieties. Strategic Genesis™ 079 (6‐7 mm), may be available in limited application of fungicides to control ascochyta blight are quantities in 2009. Unlike the larger kabuli varieties, required. The variety has excellent adaptation to most chickpea Genesis™ 090 and Genesis™ 079 yields are similar to the growing regions. Released 2000 and marketed by Australian best desi chickpeas in a broad range of environments. This Agricultural Crop Commodities. offers potential new options for traditional desi growing areas where prices for 6‐8 mm kabuli seeds are equal to or Desi type – SONALI higher than desi prices. Almaz and Genesis™ 114 produce A Western Australian selection, which has the ability to set predominantly 9 and 8 mm seed for traditional Australian pods under cooler temperatures than older varieties, and is kabuli (Kaniva) markets where seed size is important. earlier maturing than current varieties. In favourable springs and the absence of ascochyta blight has yielded The following chapter on chickpea briefly summarises some of the well in Victorian short season environments. Will require a key comparative information, more detailed information can be similar fungicide regime to Howzat under Victorian found at www.nvtonline.com.au and www.pulseaus.com.au Up to growing conditions. Released 2005 and marketed by AWB date and detailed information on pulse diseases can be down loaded from the DPI website www.dpi.vic.gov.au/notes. Seeds.

Victorian Winter Crop Summary 73 Chickpeas

Kabuli type – ALMAZ Released 2005 and commercialised by Australian Moderately resistant to ascochyta blight. Seed is slightly Agricultural Crop Commodities. larger than Kaniva but smaller than Nafice. Yield is equal or better than Kaniva and offers a much lower disease risk Kabuli type – GENESIS TM 114 option. Almaz will require at least 3 fungicide applications Moderate resistance to ascochyta blight and when grown in to be successfully grown in Victorian growing conditions. Victoria is likely to require strategic fungicide applications Best adapted to the traditional kabuli growing areas. (2‐4 sprays) throughout the growing season. Seed size is Released 2005 and marketed by AWB Seeds. larger than Kaniva (8‐9 mm) and has been higher yielding than Almaz and Nafice. Genesis 114 has an erect plant Kabuli type – BUMPER habit and excellent lodging resistance. Small amounts of Very susceptible to ascochyta blight. A medium‐tall variety seed may be available in 2009 through Australian which flowers in mid season. It has medium lodging Agricultural Crop Commodities. resistance. Bumper produces larger, slightly whiter grain than Kaniva which may offset its slightly lower yield. Kabuli type – GENESIS TM 425 Released in 1998 and marketed by Australian Agricultural Resistant to ascochyta similar to Genesis 090 which will Crop Commodities. require one fungicide application during podding but has phytopthora resistance similar to Howzat and superior to Kabuli type – GENESIS TM 079 other kabuli varieties. Targeted as a small to medium Resistant to ascochyta blight Genesis 079 is likely to only kabuli option for northern NSW. Seed available in 2009 require one fungicide application during podding. It is a through Australian Agricultural Crop Commodities. high yielding small seeded type (6‐7mm) with relatively high yields in short season environments. Some seed may Kabuli type – KANIVA be available in 2009. Very susceptible to ascochyta blight. Kaniva was the main Released 2009 and marketed through Australian kabuli variety grown in south‐east Australia. It can be very Agricultural Crop Commodities profitable despite requiring regular fungicide sprays. It has poorer standing ability than most varieties.

Kabuli type – GENESIS TM 090 Kabuli type – NAFICE Genesis 090 has good ascochyta blight resistance and is Moderately resistant to ascochyta blight. Seed is larger than likely to require only one fungicide application during Kaniva and slightly larger than Almaz. Yield is equal or podding. It has shown wide adaptation and excellent yield better than Kaniva and offers a much lower disease risk stability, including in drier environments. Genesis 090 has option, however Nafice will require at least 3 fungicide a smaller seed, approximately 1mm smaller than that of applications to be successfully grown in Victorian growing Kaniva. Genesis 090 has the potential to be grown as a conditions. Best adapted to the traditional kabuli growing good alternative to desi chickpeas or as a higher yielding areas. There has been some reports of poor seed colour but lower value alternative (smaller seed) to kabulis such which requires further evaluation. as Almaz and Nafice. Released 2005 and marketed by AWB Seeds.

Table 1: Chickpea time of sowing guide This table is a guide only and has been compiled from observations of the breeder and local departmental agronomists. MALLEE April May June July DESI Howzat, Tyson > > X X < < Genesis 509 > X X X X < < KABULI Genesis 090, Genesis 079 > > X X X X < < Almaz, Kaniva, Nafice and > > X X < < Genesis 114

WIMMERA April May June July DESI Howzat, Tyson > > X X X < Genesis 508, 509 > X X X X < KABULI Genesis 090, Genesis 079 > > X X X X X < < Almaz, Nafice and Genesis > > X X X < 114 Kaniva > > X X <

74 Victorian Winter Crop Summary Chickpeas

NORTH CENTRAL April May June July DESI Howzat, Tyson > X X X X < < Genesis 509 > X X X X X X < < KABULI Genesis 090, Genesis 079 > > X X X X X < < Almaz, Kaniva, Nafice and > X X X X < < Genesis 114 >earlier than ideal, X optimum sowing time, < later than ideal but acceptable

Table 2: Chickpea variety agronomic guide and disease reaction Variety Ave 100 Seed colour Early Flowering Maturity Height Lodging Botrytis grey Ascochyta seed wt growth resistance mould blight (grams) DESI Flipper 20 Brown Poor Medium‐Late Medium‐late Medium MR S MR Genesis 508 16 Dark brown Medium Medium‐late Medium Medium MR S R Genesis 509 16 Dark brown Medium Medium Early‐medium Medium MR MS R Howzat 21 Light brown Medium Medium Early‐medium Medium MS MS S Sonali 18 Dark brown Good Early Early Medium MS S MS Tyson 13 Dark brown Poor Medium Early Short R S S KABULI Almaz 39 Cream Medium Late Medium‐late Med‐Tall MS S MS‐MR Bumper 45 Cream‐white Good Medium Medium‐late Medium MS VS VS Genesis 079 24 Cream Good Very early Early Short MR S R Genesis 090 27 Cream Good Early Medium Medium MR VS R Genesis 114 37 Cream Medium Late Medium‐late Medium MR S MS‐MR Genesis 425 28 Cream‐white Good Medium Medium Medium MR S R Kaniva 36 Cream Good Late Medium‐late Medium S S S Nafice 40 Cream Medium Late Medium‐late Medium MS S MS‐MR Disease tolerance; R = Resistant, MR = moderately resistant, MS = moderately susceptible, S = susceptible, VS = very susceptible

Victorian Winter Crop Summary 75 Chickpeas

Table 3: Chickpea disease guide summary Disease Organism Symptoms Occurrence Hosts Control Ascochyta Ascochyta rabiei. Pale brown lesions on leaves, Occurs in all regions. Chickpea. Fungicide seed blight stems and pods. Lesions Affects both kabuli and dressing, foliar may have a grey centre desi types. Most severe in fungicides, rotation, containing small black spring. avoid susceptible fruiting bodies. Infected varieties, avoid early stems wither and break. sowing. Grey mould Botrytis cinerea. Poor emergence and death of Occurs in all regions. Chickpea, Fungicide seed young plants. Soft rot at the Affects both kabuli and most pulses, dressings, lower base of the stem. Grey desi types. Most severe in including plant densities, mould growth on leaves, wet seasons. Dense crops lentil and avoid early sowing. stems and pods. Lodging of are more likely to be faba bean. plants in dense crops. affected. Discolouration of seed with grey mould. Sclerotinia Sclerotinia Scattered dead plants within Occurs in all chickpea Most pulses, Crop rotation. (Seed sclerotiorum. a crop. Cottony white fungal growing regions. Most oilseeds and dressings of no growth on the lower stems severe in wet seasons broadleaf benefit.) of dead plants. Soft rot and where chickpea is planted weeds. white mould on stems and in fields recently cropped pods. to chickpea. Damping‐off Pythium spp. Poor crop establishment Problem in all regions, Chickpea, Fungicide seed under wet conditions. Seed particularly in soils that most pulses. dressings, avoid rotting in the ground. become very wet just after poorly drained soils. Sudden death of young sowing. More severe on seedlings. kabuli than desi chickpea. Phytophthora Phytophthora Plants suddenly wither and Most serious disease in Chickpea, Resistant varieties. megasperma. die, particularly after northern Australia. May lucerne. waterlogging. Dark brown to be a problem in poorly black discolouration of the drained soils in southern tap root. Australia under wet conditions. Phoma blight Phoma pinodella. Blackening of the stem near Common in most chickpea Most Crop rotation. ground level. Dark, tan growing regions. Most legumes. coloured lesions on leaves, severe in wet seasons. stems and pods. Root lesion Pratylenchus Ill‐thrift, lack of branching of Favoured by wheat in Wheat, Crop rotation nematode thornei and root system, small dark rotation with chickpea, chickpea, (predictive soil test Pratylenchus stripes on roots. medic and vetch. medic, vetch, available). neglectus. narbon bean.

Table 4: Long term yield performance data for 2000‐2007 for Victorian regions expressed as a percentage of the yield of Howzat (desi) or Genesis 090 (kabuli). The numbers in brackets indicate the number of site years in that area. Mallee Wimmera Mallee Wimmera Howzat t/ha 0.92 0.91 * * Genesis t/ha * * 0.89 1.00

Genesis090 104(16) 105(17) 100(17) 100(16) Genesis508 88(16) 89(17) * * Genesis509 106(19) 107(21) * * Howzat 100(19) 100(21) * * Sonali 95(16) 95(17) * * Almaz * * 72(12) 67(14) Nafice * * 66(12) 64(14)

76 Victorian Winter Crop Summary Chickpeas

Table 5 Yield of chickpea varieties in 2008 Victorian trials expressed as a percentage of Howzat (Desi) and Genesis 090 (Kabuli). Desi varieties Kabuli varieties Mallee Wimmera Mallee Wimmera Beulah Horsham Minyip Tarranyurk Beulah Horsham Minyip Howzat t/ha 1.11 0.46 0.95 0.34 Genesis 090 1.06 0.53 1.09 t/ha

Genesis 079 106 95 119 103 Almaz 47 61 63 Genesis 090 105 107 100 82 Genesis 079 84 95 85 Genesis 509 106 104 104 109 Genesis 090 100 100 100 Howzat 100 100 100 100 Genesis 114 68 101 79 Sonali 92 99 105 112 Nafice 30 65 57

Site Mean Site Mean 0.78 0.45 0.86 (t/ha) 1.04 0.47 1.03 0.43 t/ha CV (%) 8.12 10.14 7.55 13.56 CV % 10.52 11.42 7.25 LSD (%) 14 20 15 29 LSD % 18 16 12

Table 6: Grain weight (gms/100 seeds) of desi chickpea varieties in 2008 Victorian trials. Tarranyurk Genesis 079 22.32 Genesis 090 29.00 Genesis 509 16.49 Howzat 21.14 Sonali 18.49

Victorian Winter Crop Summary 77 Chickpeas

Table 7: Grain Yields (t/ha) and Gross Margins (GM, $/ha) of chickpea varieties grown in an ascochyta blight management trial* at Kalkee, 2005. Underline indicates yield or gross margin significantly different to fortnightly application. Shaded treatments are the suggested management option for varieties when grown under high disease pressure. Fungicide No. Genesis 090 Genesis 509 Genesis 508 Nafice Almaz Sonali Howzat Kaniva Regime1 Sprays t/ha GM2 t/ha GM2 t/ha GM2 t/ha GM2 t/ha GM2 t/ha GM2 t/ha GM2 t/ha GM2 Fortnight 7 2.19 $1,191 2.01 $383 1.74 $291 1.56 $945 1.71 $1026 1.68 $270 1.82 $320 1.18 $550 Strategic 4 2.16 $1,218 2.05 $457 1.72 $346 1.30 $776 1.37 $790 0.44 ‐$90 0.18 ‐$180 0.00 ‐$240 Podding 1 1.90 $1,019 1.95 $469 1.65 $364 0.85 $450 0.71 $327 0.20 ‐$129 0.04 ‐$183 0.00 ‐$195 Podding_D 1 1.80 $988 1.87 $443 1.60 $351 0.79 $398 0.58 $222 0.18 ‐$130 0.03 ‐$183 0.00 ‐$192 Nil 0 1.85 $999 1.91 $469 1.67 $388 0.85 $449 0.53 $190 0.11 ‐$144 0.01 ‐$176 0.00 ‐$180 *Ascochyta blight stubble spread over trial site to maximise disease pressure. Resistant varieties grown side by side with susceptible varieties. 1. Fungicide regime: Chlorothalonil @ 1.5L/ha was used for all treatments except Podding_D (Dithane @ 1L/ha). All fungicides applied at a water rate of 100L/ha. 2. Gross Margin ($/ha): Based on production costs of $180/ha + $15/ha/application where chlorothalonil applied (1.5L/ha) and $12/ha/application where dithane applied (1L/ha). Seed prices January 2006: Desi = $350, Kabuli 9mm = $850, 8mm = $750, 7mm = $550, 6mm = $330, Screen = $200). All Kabuli varieties were screened to calculate seed size distribution.

Table 8: Grain Yields (t/ha) of desi chickpea varieties grown in an ascochyta blight management trial* at Horsham, 2005. Underline indicates yield significantly different to fortnightly application. Shaded treatments are the suggested management option for varieties when grown under high disease pressure. Fungicide No. Sprays Genesis Genesis Genesis Howzat Sonali Regime1 090 509 508 Fortnightly 7 2.29 2.30 2.24 2.34 2.51 Strategic 4 2.46 2.34 2.08 0.82 1.24 Podding 1 2.39 2.30 2.01 0.88 1.36 Nil 0 2.13 2.37 2.13 0.38 0.73 *Ascochyta blight stubble spread over trial site to maximise disease pressure. Resistant varieties grown side by side with susceptible varieties. 1. Fungicide regime: Chlorothalonil @ 1.5L/ha was used for all treatments. All fungicides applied at a water rate of 100L/ha.

Table 9: Grain Yields (t/ha) of kabuli chickpea varieties grown in an ascochyta blight management trial* at Horsham, 2005. Underline indicates yield significantly different to fortnightly application. Shaded treatments are the suggested management option for varieties when grown under high disease pressure. Fungicide No. Sprays Genesis Almaz Nafice Kaniva Regime1 090 Fortnightly 7 1.74 1.59 1.48 1.49 Strategic 4 1.82 1.18 1.14 0.00 Podding 1 1.67 1.20 1.22 0.07 Nil 0 1.72 1.00 1.05 0.00 *Ascochyta blight stubble spread over trial site to maximise disease pressure. Resistant varieties grown side by side with susceptible varieties. 1. Fungicide regime: Chlorothalonil @ 1.5L/ha was used for all treatments. All fungicides applied at a water rate of 100L/ha

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Department of Primary Industries Kristy Hobson DPI Horsham Jason Brand DPI Horsham Helen Richardson DPI Horsham

The Kalkee disease management and gross margin trial (table 7) was conducted by Jason Brand. Horsham trial (tables 8&9) was conducted by the National Chickpea Breeding Program. All other yield data is from the National Variety Trials.

78 Victorian Winter Crop Summary