Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp9 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Eco-friendly management of chickpea wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris using plant extracts and soil amendments

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.17077
Submitted
28 July 2026
Published
17-10-2026

Abstract

Chickpea wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is one of the most destructive soil-borne diseases limiting chickpea production. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different botanical extracts and soil amendments against the pathogen under in vitro and pot conditions. Nine botanical extracts, namely neem, karanj, datura, lantana, tulsi, aonla, onion, garlic and ginger, were tested at 5, 10 and 15 % concentrations using the poisoned food technique. Garlic extract recorded the maximum mycelial growth inhibition (90.00 %) at 15 % concentration, followed by karanj (80.37 %) and neem (78.52 %). In pot experiments, garlic treatment resulted in the highest mean disease reduction (53.22 %), followed by karanj (43.54 %) and neem (36.01 %). Eleven soil amendments were also evaluated against wilt under pot conditions. Vermicompost + Trichoderma proved most effective, reducing disease incidence to 44.63 % and improving germination to 90.00 %. Pseudomonas fluorescens was the next best treatment with 53.57 % disease incidence. The same treatments significantly enhanced plant height, root length, nodulation and biomass accumulation. The study demonstrated that garlic, karanj, neem, vermicompost + Trichoderma and P. fluorescens can be effectively utilised as eco-friendly components for integrated management of chickpea wilt.

References

  1. 1. Merga B, Haji J. Economic importance of chickpea: production, value and world trade. Cogent Food Agric. 2019;5(1):1615718. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2019.1615718
  2. 2. Chaudhary A, Murukesan A, Kumari A, Arunachalam A, Lakshmi PT. Biomolecular and computational insights into Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris infection in chickpea: a review. Discov Agric. 2025;3:178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44279-025-00278-5
  3. 3. Jiménez-Díaz RM, Castillo P, Jiménez-Gascó MM, Landa BB, Navas-Cortes JA. Fusarium wilt of chickpeas: biology, ecology and management. Crop Prot. 2015;73:16–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2015.02.023
  4. 4. Aydogdu M, Sayilgan C, Kurbetli I, Canpolat S. Pathogenic characterization of Fusarium oxysporum, Neocosmospora solani and F. falciforme associated with the Fusarium wilt/root rot disease complex of chickpea (Cicer arietinum). J Phytopathol. 2026;173(3).
  5. 5. Sankar PM, Shreedevasena S, Karthiba L, Anantha Raju P. Ecology, biology and management of Fusarium wilt in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): a review. Agric Rev. 2022. https://doi.org/10.18805/ag.R-2481
  6. 6. Yilma A, Abera M, Bekele B, Alemu T, Vetukuri RR. Chickpea Fusarium wilt: a review of the predominant challenge to chickpea production in Ethiopia. J Food Legumes. 2025;38:493–505.
  7. 7. Chaudhary B, Kumar S, Kushwaha SK. Evaluation of plant extracts and fungicides against Fusarium udum causing pigeon pea wilt. Chem Sci Rev Lett. 2019;8(32):340–4.
  8. 8. Kumar VP, Srivastava M, Senthil Kumar S. Comparative in vitro efficacy of bioagents, botanicals and fungicides against chickpea wilt-associated pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. J Adv Biol Biotechnol. 2026;29:1076–84. https://doi.org/10.9734/jabb/2026/v29i53978
  9. 9. Khanna A, Raj K, Kumar P. Effect of mycorrhizal fungi in combination with botanicals, fungicides and bio-agents in ameliorating Fusarium wilt management in chickpea (Cicer arietinum). Indian J Agric Sci. 2022;92:391–4. https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v92i6.118681
  10. 10. Zhang XY, Yu XX, Yu Z, Xue YF, Qi LP. A simple method based on laboratory inoculum and field inoculum for evaluating potato resistance to black scurf caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Breed Sci. 2014;64(2):156–63. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.64.156
  11. 11. International Seed Testing Association. International Rules for Seed Testing 2025. Bassersdorf (Switzerland): International Seed Testing Association; 2025.
  12. 12. Bayaa B, Erskine W. Diseases of lentils. In: Allen DJ, Lenne JM, editors. The pathology of food and pasture legumes. Wallingford (UK): CAB International; 1990. p. 423–47.
  13. 13. Singh A, Kumar A, Sharma R. Antifungal efficacy of various botanical extracts against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris at 5%, 10% and 15% concentrations under in vitro conditions. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2021;10(4):101–8.
  14. 14. Nene YL, Thapliyal PN. Fungicides in plant disease control. 3rd ed. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.; 1993.
  15. 15. Joshi R, Sunkad GYSA, Kenganal M. Biological management of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, an incitant of chickpea wilt, by consortium of Trichoderma asperellum and Pseudomonas fluorescens under glasshouse conditions. Biol Forum Int J. 2022;14(2):346–9.
  16. 16. Hashmi S, Baghel A, Hashmi M, Mishra G. Organic management of chickpea wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. Plant Arch. 2024;24:112–18. https://doi.org/10.51470/PLANTARCHIVES.2024.v24.SP-GABELS.062
  17. 17. Gomez KA, Gomez AA. Statistical procedures for agricultural research. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1984.
  18. 18. Yatoo AM, Ali MN, Baba ZA, Hassan B. Sustainable management of diseases and pests in crops by vermicompost and vermicompost tea: a review. Agron Sustain Dev. 2020; 41(1):7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-020-00657-w
  19. 19. Nisa TU, Wani AH, Yaqub MB, Pala SA, Mir RA. In vitro inhibitory effect of fungicides and botanicals on mycelial growth and spore germination of Fusarium oxysporum. J Biopestic. 2011;4(1):53–6. https://doi.org/10.57182/jbiopestic.4.1.53-56
  20. 20. Singh JK, Kumar M, Kumar S, Kumar A, Mehta N. Inhibitory effect of botanicals on growth and sporulation of Fusarium oxysporum inciting wilt of chili. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2017;6(5):2199–204.
  21. 21. Jagre A, Sharma S, Chorasiya A. Surveillance of chickpea wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. J Krishi Vigyan. 2022;11(1):331–5. https://doi.org/10.5958/2349-4433.2022.00157.X
  22. 22. Dubey K. Efficacy of botanicals and bioagents against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Int J Eng Res Appl. 2020;10(12):35–45.
  23. 23. Kumar S, Meena NL, Meena NK, Rohith A, Deora A. Management of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radiciscucumerinum causing root and stem rot of cucumber by in vitro evaluation of bio-efficacy of botanicals: a review. Pharma Innov J. 2021;10(9):1072–5.
  24. 24. Rajan PV, Saifulla M, Pallavi MS. In vitro evaluation of bio-agents, fungicides and herbicides against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris causing wilt of chickpea. Bioinfolet. 2013;10(2):403–5.
  25. 25. Mahajan S, Kumar D, Singh SK, Mahajan D, Kumar D, Paswal S. Evaluation of different fungicides and bioagents for the management of chickpea wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris). Curr J Appl Sci Technol. 2020;39(14):19–30. https://doi.org/10.9734/cjast/2020/v39i1430693
  26. 26. Bonanomi G, Antignani V, Capodilupo M, Scala F. Identifying the characteristics of organic amendments that suppress soil-borne plant diseases. Soil Biol Biochem. 2007;39(2):136–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.10.012
  27. 27. Weller DM. Pseudomonas biocontrol agents of soil-borne pathogens: looking back over 30 years. Phytopathol. 2007;97(2):250–6. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-97-2-0250
  28. 28. Pandey M, Maurya AK, John V, Kumar M. Evaluation of different isolates of Pseudomonas fluorescens against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris causing wilt of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Ann Phytomed. 2022;11(2):806–13. https://doi.org/10.54085/ap.2022.11.2.99
  29. 29. Adnani M, El Hazzat N, Msairi S, El Alaoui MA, Mouden N, Selmaoui K, et al. Exploring the efficacy of a Trichoderma asperellum-based seed treatment for controlling Fusarium equiseti in chickpea. Egyptian J Biol Pest Control. 2024;34:7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-024-00771-x
  30. 30. Cheng D, Liu F, Li D, Ma Y, Zhou JJ, Wang D, et al. Allicin binds to cysteine residues of fungal dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase to control gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) of tomato. Phytopathol. 2025;115(6):634–48. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-10-24-0315-R
  31. 31. Eslami S, Zolfaghari B, Sadeghi Dinani M, Ghanadian M. Biomolecular insights into the antifungal activity of Allium species constituents: from mechanisms to applications. Iranian J Pharma Res. 2025;24(1). https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpr-162031
  32. 32. Seki T, Hosono T. Functionality of garlic sulfur compounds (review). Biomed Rep. 2025;23(2):124. https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2025.2002
  33. 33. Ruayaree P. Trichoderma: biology, ecology and Trichoderma-plant and Trichoderma-pathogen interactions. J Sci Agric Technol. 2024;4(2):1–4.
  34. 34. Vieira MEO, Nunes VV, Calazans CC, Silva-Mann R. Unlocking plant defenses: harnessing the power of beneficial microorganisms for induced systemic resistance in vegetables -a systematic review. Biol Con. 2024;188:105428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2023.105428
  35. 35. Jin S, Alberti F. Advances in the discovery and study of Trichoderma natural products for biological control applications. Nat Prod Rep. 2025;42:1367–86. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5NP00017C

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.