Comparative study on biochemical parameters among ascochyta blight infected moderately resistant and susceptible chickpea genotypes

The chickpea genotype ICCV 5530, which is moderately resistant and ICCV 4991, susceptible to Ascochyta rabiei were selected to identify the changes in biochemical activity in response to infection by the fungus Ascochyta rabiei. Twelve day old seedlings were inoculated with spore suspension of the pathogen at 5 × 104 spore/ml concentration using a Haemocytometer and incubated under Controlled Environmental Facility (CEF). Sampling was done at 2, 4 and 8 days after inoculation. Chlorophyll ‘a’, chlorophyll ‘b’ and total chlorophyll, total phenol, total soluble sugars, Peroxidase (PO), Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO) Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL) activity was assayed by adopting the standard procedure described by various researchers. Higher total chlorophyll content was recorded in un-inoculated leaves of ICCV 4991 and ICCV 5530 genotypes compared to inoculated leaves.