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Title: EFFECT OF RED CLOVER VEIN MOSAIC CARLAVIRUS INFECTION ON SEED PRODUCTION AND BIOMASS YIELD IN CHICKPEA.

Author
item Larsen, Richard
item Miklas, Phillip - Phil

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2000
Publication Date: 6/1/2000
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.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The effects of red clover vein mosaic virus (RCVMV) on biomass, seed yield and quailty reduction in chickpea (Cicer arietinum 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 (Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)) of RCVMV is critical at pre-bloom stages of crop growth in virus-affected areas.