Impacts of drought, nematodes, microbiome and nutrient status on chickpea health

An emerging health issue was noted in chickpea in Southwestern of the Canadian prairies beginning in 2019. Symptoms include necrosis on leaf tips, wilting, chlorosis and necrosis of branches and plant death. Despite field surveys and indoor experiments, the cause(s) of this issue remain unclear. In 2023, symptoms of the chickpea health issue appeared on one side, but not the other, of a field trial in Redvers, Saskatchewan, in which conditions were relatively dry. Using soil from this area, this study aimed to replicate in a greenhouse the symptoms observed in the field and assess the interaction between soils and drought. Chickpea were planted in soil from affected and unaffected areas and exposed to three levels of drought: well watered, moderate drought and severe drought.