Test Chickpea Seed Early

BOZEMAN - Feb 16/06 - SNS -- Chickpea growers need to test prospective planting seed to see if it is infected with aschochyta blight as soon as possible to avoid last minute delays getting results, caution lab specialists.

"The test takes a minimum of 10 days and it is a labor intensive assay," says MSU Extension Plant Pathologist Jack Riesselman. "In 2005, the MSU seed lab and its Schutter Plant Diagnostic Clinic was deluged with last-minute requests for seed testing. Pulse crop growers need to request seed testing as soon as they can."

One of the main diseases of pulse crops is Ascochyta blight, says Riesselman. The disease is troublesome for pulse crops like dry peas and lentils, but can be devastating for chickpeas. "It can remain in the soil for several years after it is introduced," Riesselman said.

Ascochyta blight is seed-borne, and with seed being in short supply this year, MSU pulse-crop researcher Perry Miller has said he is concerned that lower-quality seed may be brought into Montana. That means that lab tests for Ascochyta Blight, as well as for seed purity and germination rate are very important, he said.

The type of Ascochyta for each crop is different, so the type that attacks lentils will not go to chickpea or other pulse crops.

"We recommend no chickpea seed be planted if it contains more than one percent Ascochyta," said MSU Extension Plant Pathologist Jack Riesselman. "Preferably that level should be closer to zero, but Canada and other states have raised the level due to the difficulty in obtaining disease free seed. Lentils and peas should also be tested prior to planting but the seed to adult plant transfer is not as critical nor, generally, as severe."

Riesselman said that the MSU lab will try to avoid the spring testing bottleneck that occurred in 2005, so it is encouraging producers to send their seed by March 15 for testing. Testing fees on seed submitted by March 15 will be $36 per sample, said Riesselman. That fee will double for seed arriving after March 15.