Tagging STMS markers to Fusarium wilt race-1 resistance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Fusarium wilt in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is caused by fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. Eight races of Fusarium have been reported worldwide. In India, races 1 and 2 are the most predominant and cause widespread damage, resulting up to 70% yield loss. Efforts are on to tag molecular markers to loci responsible for resistance against various races of the pathogen. Here we report tagging of STMS (sequence-tagged microsatellite site) markers with race-1 resistance for Fusarium wilt (foc-1). A linkage map was generated using the scored markers on 82 RILs (recombinant inbred lines) of a cross WR-315 x C-104 along with the phenotypic marker. The most closely linked marker, TA37 was identified at a distance of 0.2 cM from foc-1 in linkage group 2 (LG2). Additionally, 2 more markers TA200 and TR2 were also identified at a distance of 1.0 and 3.0 cM, respectively, flanking the foc-1 locus. Markers TA37, TA200 and TR2 can be used in marker assisted selection, introgression of resistance gene (R-gene) into economically important cultivars and finally to clone the candidate gene for Fusarium-wilt resistance.