RESPONSE OF FIELD PEA (PISUM SATIVUM L.) GENOTYPES TO ASCOCHYTA BLIGHT (MYCOSPHAERELLA PINODES) DISEASE IN ARSI HIGHLANDS, SOUTHEASTERN ETHIOPIA

The yield of field pea in Ethiopia is hampered due to the prevalence of Ascochyta Blight disease. 49 field pea materials including 21 introduced field pea materials; 19 single plants selected from bulked gene pool materials and 9 released varieties were evaluated under field condition of two environments using simple lattice design to identify resistant genotypes. The current study revealed that considerable variation was found for response against ascochyta blight diseases and yield performance even if high level of resistance materials were not identified. High degree of disease severity was observed at Kofele site than Bekoje.  Out of the total 49 genotypes; 16 genotypes (GPHA03, GPHA019, GPHA06, GPHA01, GPHA018,P-313-010 , P-313-045 ,P-313-086, P-313-082, P-313-071 , P-313-065 , P-313-098 , P-313-061 , P-313-068 , P313-067 and  PDFPT-BEK) were moderately resistant and the remaining 33  materials were susceptible to ascochyta blight disease. Genotypes PDFPT-BEK, P-313-067,P-313-010, and P-313-082 were relatively high yielder and moderately resistant materials. It is better to repeat this trial in multi-location and season to check disease and yield stability for further breeding purpose.