Current status and future strategy in breeding chickpea for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production has remained static for the past two decades. One major limiting factor has been susceptibility of cultivars to several biotic and abiotic stresses that adversely affect yield. In recent years, cultivars resistant to Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei Pass.] Lab.), Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris), and cold have been bred and released in many countries. Some progress has been made in breeding for resistance to drought, insects, and cyst nematode, but not for viruses, heat, and salinity. Two or more stresses are of equal importance in most chickpea growing areas. Therefore, future efforts should be directed toward the development of cultivars with multiple-stress resistance. Proper understanding of important stresses in different countries and the genetics of resistance should lead to more systematic approaches to resistance breeding. Wild Cicer species hold promise and deserve attention in resistance breeding.