The Causal Pathogen, Inoculum Sources and Alternative Hosts Studies of the Newly Emerged Gall Forming Faba Bean (Vicia faba) Disease in Ethiopia

Abstract

Faba bean is the most important and dominant pulse crop of Ethiopia. In recent years the newly emerged disease were occurred and being threat to the production. The causal agent, disease alternative host and inoculums source were studied during the 2015-17 cropping season. As a result, based on field/plant symptom, morphometry and light microscopy, the pathogen were similar to previously identified faba bean gall disease which was caused by the fungal pathogen Olpidium viciae. It was observed that it can infect other hosts with mild severity. The alternate host study showed, the pathogen was largely soil and stubble born. Seeds from infected plant didn’t develop any disease symptom the consecutive three years.