Complex Viral Diseases Threatening Lentil and Chickpea Production in Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, lentil and chickpea have many of uses as sources of income and in the preparation of various dishes and  nutritional security of millions of Ethiopians. Farmers have well recognized the importance of lentil and chickpea as  rotation crops in improving soil fertility. However, several biotic agents of viral origin are threatening the production and  productivity of chickpea and lentil. The current study was carried out to assess the relative distribution and  importance of viruses infecting lentil and chickpea in major production areas to prioritize and design focused and action-oriented research to develop effective management. Two consecutive surveys were carried out in 2018 and 2019  main cropping seasons, and a total of 635 (chickpea, lentil, grasspea and fenugreek) and 676 (lentil and chickpea)  samples were collected, respectively, from 57 and 81 fields in central, north, and northwest regions. The study revealed  that Pea seed-borne mosaic virus (PSbMV, genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae) and Chickpea chlorotic stunt virus  (CpCSV, genus Polerovirus, family Solemoviridae) are the most-wide spread and frequently recovered viruses from lentil  samples, while CpCSV had the highest incidences and was a more prevalent viruse in chickpea fields assessed. Based on  this result, integrated management options can be developed targeting factors aggravating the epidemics of the  dominant viruses along with continuous disease and vector monitoring.