Explore common growth issues faced in chickpea cultivation and understand their causes, symptoms, and solutions to support healthy crops.
A farmer notices that her chickpea plants are shorter and have yellowing leaves compared to previous seasons; which is the most likely primary cause under these symptoms?
Explanation: Nitrogen deficiency commonly leads to stunted growth and yellowing leaves in chickpeas due to insufficient chlorophyll production. Fungal root rot also causes poor growth but usually comes with root decay and damping-off. Overhead irrigation more often causes disease spread than direct stunting. Frost heaving damages young plants but rarely causes widespread stunting and yellowing alone.
If chickpea plants develop dark lesions on stems and leaves that quickly spread in humid conditions, which disease is most likely responsible?
Explanation: Ascochyta blight causes dark lesions on stems and leaves, spreading rapidly in wet, humid weather. Iron chlorosis leads to yellowing, not lesions. Powdery mildew looks like white powder, not dark spots. Botrytis gray mold is associated with gray fuzz and typically affects flowers and pods.
What problem can occur when chickpeas are planted in soil with a pH below 6.0?
Explanation: Soil pH below 6.0 can release toxic aluminum, damaging root nodules and preventing effective nitrogen fixation. Chickpeas actually have less disease resistance in acidic soils, not more. Accelerated flowering and decreased weed competition are not typical consequences of low soil pH for chickpeas.
During a prolonged dry spell, a chickpea field shows rolled leaves and reduced pod set. What is the main physiological reason for poor pod development?
Explanation: Drought stress decreases pollen viability, which leads to fewer pods. Magnesium surplus is unrelated to pod set issues. Pesticide overuse can be harmful but is not directly tied to drought impact. Chickpeas are self-pollinated, so wind pollination failure is not relevant.
Why does inadequate crop rotation increase chickpea growth problems like Fusarium wilt?
Explanation: Continuous chickpea or legume cropping enables soilborne pathogens like Fusarium to accumulate, raising disease pressure. Pollinator shortage does not impact self-pollinated chickpeas. Waterlogging is not alleviated by poor rotation. Herbicide resistance mainly concerns weeds, not soil pathogens.