Eye Opening Information for Chickpea Growers
Jack Riesselman; Perry Miller; Dan Sullivan
4/10/02

Growing chickpeas in Montana is more difficult than originally thought, say plant pathology and cropping systems experts at Montana State University. A foliar disease called ascochyta (pronounced ask-o-kyta) blight can cause devastating financial losses, and it spreads quickly. Once infection breaks out, growers may have only 24 hours to act, said Perry Miller, an associate professor of cropping systems at MSU. The rapid spread of the blight requires that growers be prepared by buying fungicide ahead of time, or lining up a custom applicator who is ready to spray on demand.

"Although the disease is serious," said MSU Extension plant pathologist Jack Riesselman, "it has caused more economic loss on large seeded Kabuli types of chickpea, the kind commonly used for salads. The smaller seeded Kabuli types and Desi chickpea also become infected, but yield losses are not as dramatic. This may be taken into account when considering planting plans."

In the past it was recommended that chickpea producers maintain a distance of three or four miles between previously infected fields and new chickpea crops. But recent research from Washington State University and the Ag Canada facility in Saskatoon suggests that ascochyta fungus spores can travel extremely long distances. Miller said that one Montana grower reported that fields 20 miles distant from infected areas became infected in a matter of days.

In the face of the ascochyta's rapid and long distance spread, disease management needs to be set in the right context, Miller said. It's still good to use disease-free seed, but even if you do that, the disease can break out, and break out suddenly. He cautioned growers to go in with their eyes wide open. When planning for costs, consider the cost of applying fungicide as many as three times, if wet weather should set in. The blight particularly thrives under damp conditions.

MSU Ag Experiment Stations and the Extension Service will conduct test plots and fungicide trials throughout the state this summer, with updated information available to growers next winter, said Riesselman.

Another issue for growers is weed management. Last year a new chemical called Spartan did a good job of controlling difficult weeds like kochia and Russian thistle in chickpea. The Montana Department of Agriculture was able to register the chemical temporarily through a Section 18 emergency exemption from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Dan Sullivan, bureau chief for the technical services bureau with the Montana Department of Agriculture, said that Montana producers requested that another emergency exemption be applied for this year and the EPA is in the final stages of reviewing that application. Growers should know by mid-April whether Spartan will be available for use this growing season.

Riesselman and Miller recently teamed with researchers at Montana State University and North Dakota State University to produce a publication that covers the latest information for chickpea growers. The MSU Extension MontGuide titled "Growing Chickpea in the Northern Great Plains" also covers seeding, variety choice, fertilization and other information about growing, harvesting and selling chickpea.

For a free copy of "Growing Chickpea in the Northern Great Plains," (publication MT200204) download it at www.montana.edu/publications or contact Dave Phillips, MSU Fergus County Extension agent.