ARS | Publication request: EFFECT OF RED CLOVER VEIN MOSAIC CARLAVIRUS INFECTION ON SEED PRODUCTION AND BIOMASS YIELD IN CHICKPEA.

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 24, 2000
Publication Date: June 1, 2000
Citation: Larsen, R.C., Miklas, P.N. 2000. Effect of red clover vein mosaic carlavirus infection on seed production and biomass yield in chickpea. Phytopathology. 90:S45.

Technical Abstract: The effects of red clover vein mosaic virus (RCVMV) on biomass, seed yield and quailty reduction in chickpea (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> L.) were evaluated under field and greenhouse conditions. Test plants were inoculated with the virus at pre-bloom (PE), bloom (B), and post-bloom (PO) stages. Biomass was significantly (P=0.05) reduced in PE and B plants but not in PO plants. Mean dry weights were 136.7 and 31.4 g for B and PE treatments, respectively, compared to 289.2g in the healthy treatment. Seed collected from infected plants resulted in yield losses of 61.5% and 49.9% for B and PO, respectively. Plants inoculated at the PE stage resulted in losses of 100%. Seed quality as evaluated by seed size, was markedly reduced in all infected treatments. Quality decreased proportionally with earliness of infection. Only 2.3% of premium size 26 seed was obtained in the PO treatment compared to 9.8% in healthy. Seed size 24 consisted of 18.9, 52.7, and 78.7% of the total yield from B, PO, and healthy, respectively. The greatly reduced yields suggest that control of the aphid vector (<i>Acyrthosiphon pisum</i> (Harris)) of RCVMV is critical at pre-bloom stages of crop growth in virus-affected areas.