Australian Pulse Bulletin

Chickpea: Identifying sclerotinia

Symptoms

There are two Sclerotinia spp that attack chickpeas and they can be distinguished by the size of their sclerotes (survival structures).

• S. sclerotiorum produces large irregular shaped sclerotes 5–10 mm in diameter as high up as 20–30 cm on the stem
• S. minor produces sclerotes that are angular and much smaller, rarely larger than 2–3 mm in diameter

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  S. sclerotiorum killed these plants – eventually the whole crop was lost. (Photo: Kevin Moore)

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  Ascospore infection of chickpea stem by S. Sclerotiorum. (Photo: Gordon Cumming)

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  Fungal weft of sclerotinia in the lower canopy of a chickpea crop. (Photo: Kevin Moore)

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  Sclerotes of S. sclerotiorum. (Photo: Mal Ryley)

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  Sclerotes of S. minor. (Photo: Kevin Moore)

Last updated: 20 November 2015