Chickpea Field Management Vital

BOZEMAN - Feb 16/06 - SNS -- Prospective chickpea growers need to prepare themselves for a different management style than for other crops to avoid losing their seed investment to disease -- as many learned in 2002 and 2001.

Montana State University Extension Plant Pathologist Jack Riesselman makes the following management recommendations for chickpeas.

* Select good quality seed of an aschochyta-tolerant variety.

* Have a lab conduct germination and aschochyta tests on the seed.

* Do not plant seed that has more than one percent seed-borne aschochyta fungi present, and try to get seed with no aschochyta present.

* Plant chickpeas just once every four years, allowing three years of other crops or fallow.

* Scout chickpea fields often for disease, and daily during warm, humid or wet periods.

* Fungicide recommendations vary by locale. In low-humidity areas such as much of Montana, growers can apply appropriate fungicides at the first sign of aschochyta blight.

* Apply another application of a fungicide if needed 14 days or more after the first application.

* Use only two strobilurine fungicide applications per year to avoid developing resistance.