Towards developing improved resistance to BGM in chickpea and lentil.

Botrytis grey mould (BGM) is a significant disease that affects lentil and chickpea crops in Australia, causing substantial yield losses under favourable environmental conditions. Currently, all chickpea and lentil varieties are susceptible to BGM when disease pressure is high, posing a challenge for disease management. Although foliar fungicides are commonly used, concerns arise over the possible emergence of fungicide-tolerant strains. Non-chemical strategies like adjusting sowing time and spacing provide limited control and can compromise yield. To overcome these challenges, the development of BGM-resistant varieties is crucial. However, limitations exist in rating BGM resistance and a lack of available screening methods. This three-year investment aims to develop accurate phenotyping techniques for detecting genetic variation related to BGM resistance. Key objectives include creating an efficient in-lab/glasshouse screening method that mirror field responses, and an on-field phenotyping system yielding results correlated with actual yield losses experienced by growers nationally. These efforts are vital for future investments to identify new resistance sources and develop molecular tools to support the development of new lentil and chickpea varieties with improved level s of BGM resistance.