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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: 20 November 2015