Inheritance of resistance to Fusarium wilt (race 2) in chickpea

The inheritance of resistance to Fusarium wilt (race 2) of chickpea was studied in a set of three crosses, i.e. ‘WR315’בC104’ (resistant × susceptible), ‘WR315’בK850’ (resistant × tolerant) and ‘K850’בGW5/7’ (tolerant × tolerant) in order to investigate the number of genes involved, their complementation and to find out whether resistant segregants are possible in a cross between two tolerant cultivars. Tests of F₁, F₂ and F₃ generations of these crosses under controlled conditions at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India, indicated involvement of three loci (two recessive and one dominant alleles). The homozygous recessive form at the first two loci conferred resistance whereas susceptibility occurred when the first two loci were in the dominant form. A dominant allele at the third locus can complement the dominant alleles at the other two loci to confer tolerance. Occurrence of resistant segregants in a cross between two tolerant cultivars was observed.