Four chemical substances i.e. salicylic acid, oxalic acid, disodium phosphate and  ethephon were tested, as seed soaking treatments, to study their effect on reducing the severity of root-rot disease of  chickpea plants caused by Rhizocotnia solani. In vitro studies showed that the tested chemicals significantly reduced the linear growth of the fungus . The greenhouse experiments showed that salicylic acid, disodium phosphate and ethephon were effective chemicals in reducing  the root-rot disease and significantly increases seedling survival,.A significant increase in the activity of chitinase enzyme was also recorded in plants grown from the treated seeds. Salicylic acid increases the activity of oxidative reductive enzymes (peroxidase and chitinase enzymes ) in  the plants tissues . In the field experiments salicylic acid proved to be the most effective chemical  in reducing the root-rot disease as will as increases the yield components.