Management of Root Rot Diseases of Cool Season Food Legumes Crops in Ethiopia

Abstract

Particularly in Ethiopia legumes grown in 2014/15 covered 12.41% (1,558,442.04 hectares) of the grain crop area and 9.88% (about 26,718,430.40 quintals) of the grain production was drawn from the same crops. Legumes, which occupy approximately 13 percent of cultivated land and account for approximately 10 percent of the agricultural value addition, are critical to smallholder livelihoods in Ethiopia. The major constraints to the production of these crops are diseases, insect pest attack, poor agronomic practices and lack of improved cultivars and crop protection technologies. Root rot diseases are a major limiting factor in legume production. The diseases depress seedling germination and cause post emergence damping off, resulting in poor crop stand and low yields. Several root rot casing pathogen such as Rhizoctonia bataticola, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani on chickpea, Rhizoctonia bataticola and Rhizoctonia solani on lentil and Rhizoctonia bataticola, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani on faba bean have been reported in Ethiopia. They can cause yield loss up to 45% and 50% in faba bean and chickpea if properly not manage. Based on this information review was made to review some available root rot management methods of legume crops and to make some suggestions on the methods which are not practice yet. Several chemicals, cultural practice and bio-gent used to control this disease. Among bio-agent mostly used to control this disease are Trichoderma viride and Bacillus megaterium take a great share. In the future particularly in our country full exploitation of the potential of biological control of this disease has to be done. In general techniques which are based on the molecular techniques like marker assisted selection to deploy resistance has to be applied in the processes of creating resistant variety development.