Determination of pathogenic variability of Didymella rabiei, the agent of ascochyta blight of chickpea in Turkey

Pathogenic characterization of 64 Didymella rabiei isolates obtained from 5 different regions in Turkey was determined with a set of 7 different chickpea cultivars (ILC 1929, F8, ICC 1903, ILC 249, ILC 482, ILC 3279, and ICC 3996). All the isolates were classified into both 3 pathotypes and 6 physiological races. Of the isolates used in this study, it was determined that 38 (59.4%) belonged to pathotype I, 3 (4.7%) to pathotype II, and 23 (35.9%) to pathotype III. Pathotypes I and III were determined in 5 regions of Turkey including the Mediterranean, Aegean, Southeastern Anatolia, Central Anatolia, and Black Sea regions, but pathotype II was not found in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. All 6 races of the D. rabiei were determined in Turkey. Race 1, 2, and 3 were established in pathotype I, while race 4 was represented in both pathotypes I and II. Pathotype III included the race 5 and 6, which were aggressive isolates.