Integrated Pest Management in Chickpea

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most popular vegetables in many regions of the world. Pulses are important sources of protein for vegetarian population. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) commonly known as gram is an important pulse crop. In Tunisia, the cultivated area and production have significant instability and decrease, the chickpea crop was affected by biotic and abiotic constraints. The major diseases affecting chickpea are Ascochyta rabiei, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, Botrytis cinerea and Rhizoctonia solani. R. solani is an important component of the disease complex that causes seedling blight and root rot on pea; it also causes root rot in plants of many pulse crops when they are weakened by other stress factors (Singh & Mehrotra, 1982). The pod borers, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), sap-sucking pests [especially Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae)] and bruchid beetles belonging to the genus Callosobruchus (C. chinensis Linnaeus, C. maculates Fabricius, C. analis Fabricius) cause some damage to chickpea. The presence of Orobanche spp. in some chickpea growing areas is considered as a limiting factor to the expansion of the crop. Genetic resistance is considered the most desirable control method since it is more cost effective and environment friendly than the use of chemicals. In this chapter we review developments in integrated management of insect pests, of parasitic broomrape plants, of the main disease-causing fungi, and of root-lesion and stem nematodes on chickpea.