Tapping into the Chickpea Root Microbiome for Combating Fusarium Wilt Disease

Chickpea is a grain legume of global importance. Its production is hindered by both abiotic as well as biotic stresses. Wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is one of the main threats to chickpea production, causing tremendous losses worldwide. With advancements in the field of biological control, numerous microorganisms, especially those that inhabit the same habitat as that of the chickpea wilt pathogen, have been evaluated for their antagonistic capabilities. Many bacteria that colonize the chickpea root have been identified for their plant growth-promoting activities too and are known as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). These microbes have the potential for their inclusion in an integrated wilt management approach in a holistic manner.