Ascochyta blight caused by the necrotrophic pathogen Ascochyta rabiei is a major threat to the multi million-dollar Australian chickpea industry, leading to 100 % yield losses. The current A. rabiei management primarily depends on fungicide application and host resistance along with healthy seed use, crop rotation, cultural practices, and biological control strategies. However, the Australian fungal population appears to have been increasing in aggressiveness over the past 5-10 years, leading to reduced efficacy from host resistance genes. Recently, the introduction of emerging novel methods and molecular technologies, such as green fungicides, RNA interference (RNAi) and nanomaterials has aimed to improve management in a more sustainable manner. Of these, RNA interference (RNAi) gene silencing activated by exogenous application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) triggering post-transcriptional gene silencing is promising due to target specificity, eco-friendliness, and demonstrated efficiency in large-scale synthesis of dsRNA molecules. Here, we aim to identify potential target genes for spray induced gene silencing triggering RNAi for protection against A. rabiei. A. rabiei specific target genes were selected from published literature and using the reference A. rabiei genome ArME14. These A. rabiei target-specific genes were selected based on their putative roles in pathogenicity, virulence, peg penetration, conidiation, retardation of hyphal growth, and associated metabolic pathways. Accordingly, primer sets were designed for twelve target-specific genes and amplified using gradient PCR. After confirming the expected PCR product size, dsRNA was synthesised for all target genes using primers with a T7 promoter sequence via the in-vitro transcription method. Currently, we are testing the efficiency of synthesized dsRNAs from target genes with different concentrations ranging from 100-500ng/µl by assessing the direct impact of naked dsRNA on physiological characteristics of A. rabiei spore growth including spore germination percentage, germ tube length and appressoria formation via in vitro and in planta. The results from the preliminary experiments, assessing the impacts of naked dsRNA on the morphological modifications of spore growth will be presented at the conference. Further, to understand the functional mechanisms impacted through target dsRNA application, a transcriptomic study via RNA-Seq will be carried out with best fit dsRNA constructs to identify differential gene expression. Together, these studies will greatly contribute towards understanding the potential use of dsRNA target-specific sequences for systemic chickpea crop protection to A. rabiei.