Influenceof weather conditions on dry root rot disease in chickpea

Lowest disease incidence (18.1 and 17.3 %) of dry root rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina and maximum yield (14.8 q/ha and 14.9 q/ha) were recorded, when chickpea crop was sown on 24th November. Disease incidence was significantly positively correlated with maximum, minimum and mean temperature; minimum and mean relative humidity during 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 crop seasons. Maximum relative humidity was non-significantly negatively correlated with disease incidence. However, rainfall was nonsignificantly positively correlated with disease incidence during 2001-2002 and significantly positively correlated with disease incidence during 2002-2003. Multiple correlation coefficients between disease incidence and weather variables exhibited strong relationship among the different components of epidemic during both the years of study.