Jul 2026· American Journal of Plant Biology· Vol 11, pp. 56-64· 0 citations· 14 references
Abstract
Wheat is a major staple crop in Ethiopia, but its productivity is severely constrained by yellow rust (
Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici
), the most economically important wheat disease. A rain-fed field experiment was conducted in 2019 in the mid-highlands of East Gojjam (
Goncha Siso Enesie
district,
Enesie Qole Kebele
) to evaluate integrated management options combining fungicide application frequency and varietal resistance. Three bread wheat varieties (Tay, Picaflor, and Kubsa) with differing reactions to yellow rust were tested under four Tilt 250 EC (propiconazole) application frequencies (0, 1, 2, and 3) in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Terminal disease severity was recorded at 18.2% for Tay, 23.0% for Picaflor, and 44.0% for Kubsa under untreated conditions. When fungicides were applied three times at 10?day intervals, the highest percent disease control (PDC) achieved was 59.2% in Tay, 52.9% in Picaflor, and 71.9% in Kubsa. Yield and thousand kernel weight increased significantly (p<0.01) with three applications: up to 40.9% and 27.7% in moderately resistant Tay, 48.3% and 55.2% in moderately susceptible Picaflor, and 41.2% and 70.4% in highly susceptible Kubsa. These results demonstrate that combining host resistance with optimal fungicide frequency effectively manages yellow rust in bread wheat. Further research is needed to deploy eco-friendly management strategies.
Spot blotch, caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, is one of the most destructive foliar diseases limiting wheat productivity, particularly under the warm and humid conditions of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The present study was conducted during the 2024-25 Rabi season at the Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, to evaluate the efficacy of different fungicides against spot blotch under field conditions. The experiment comprised eight fungicidal treatments, including triazoles, strobilurins, their combinations, and a contact fungicide, together with an untreated control. Two foliar sprays were applied at 10-day intervals after disease initiation. Disease severity was assessed as percentage disease intensity (PDI), while grain yield and the percentage increase in yield over the untreated control were recorded. Among the treatments, tebuconazole 50% + trifloxystrobin 25% (0.10%) was the most effective in reducing disease severity and increasing yield. The findings indicate that triazole-strobilurin combination fungicides provided better management of spot blotch, which may be associated with their complementary preventive and curative modes of action and systemic activity.
K. Kandpal, Deepshikha, Archana Kushwaha et al.· Microbiology Research Journa...· 0 citations
Brown spot, caused by Bipolaris oryzae, is an important constraint to rice production under favourable disease conditions. This study evaluated the field efficacy of eight fungicides against brown spot and assessed disease severity among rice genotypes cultivated in farmers’ fields. A randomised complete block design with three replications was established at Rampur, Chitwan, using the susceptible cultivar Sankharika. Eight fungicide treatments and an untreated control were compared following three foliar applications at seven-day intervals. Disease severity and the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) were determined, and grain yield was correlated with AUDPC. A roving survey was also conducted at 21 locations in Chitwan and Nawalparasi districts. All fungicide treatments reduced final disease severity relative to the untreated control. Metalaxyl 8% + mancozeb 64% WP recorded the lowest mean AUDPC (436.85), followed by carbendazim (470.50) and hexaconazole (482.20). Hexaconazole recorded the lowest final disease severity (28.90%), whereas the untreated control recorded 45.20%. The association between grain yield and AUDPC was weak and not statistically significant (r = −0.031). The survey identified six genotypes, with maximum severity of 78% in Samba Mansuli and Sabitri and minimum severity of 26% in Kalo Basmati. These findings indicate differential fungicide performance and genotype responses under the evaluated field conditions and support further multilocation and multiseason validation.
Rajan Lamsal, Surakshya Ghimire, Gautam Thapa et al.· Asian Journal of Biology· 0 citations
Septoria tritici blotch (STB), caused by Zymoseptoria tritici is among the most damaging foliar diseases of wheat, with yield losses reaching up to 82% under favorable conditions. To identify resistant sources, one hundred sixty bread wheat genotypes were screened at Dabat and Adet in northwestern Ethiopia during the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons using an alpha lattice design with two replications. Disease severity was assessed at three growth stages and agronomic traits were recorded across environments. Combined analyses revealed that 17.5% of the tested genotypes exhibited resistant responses to STB, producing superior grain yield (≥ 4.5 t ha⁻¹) and thousand-kernel weight (≥ 45.41 g). Additionally, 52.5% of genotypes were moderately resistant, whereas 30% showed moderately susceptible reactions. Highly significant differences (P < 0.0001) were observed among genotypes for all studied traits, which were negatively correlated with disease parameters. The highest grain yield (5160.88 kg ha⁻¹) was obtained from genotype G81. This genotype also exhibited significantly lower disease severity at maturity (24.35%) and a significantly reduced AUDPC (968.6) compared with most of the tested genotypes. These findings highlight promising genetic resources for STB resistance, and further molecular studies such as QTL mapping and GWAS are recommended to identify resistance loci and accelerate their utilization in wheat breeding programs.
Field-based alternatives to repeated insecticide use are needed for wheat aphid management. This study evaluated foliar potassium silicate at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% for suppression of wheat aphids and improvement of yield attributes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under field conditions at Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab, India, during the 2024–2025 Rabi season. The experiment followed a randomised block design with five treatments and three replications. Potassium silicate was applied at crown root initiation, tillering and jointing, while the untreated control received water sprays. Aphid populations were recorded weekly from the 8th to the 15th Standard Meteorological Week, and grain number per spike, test weight and grain yield were measured at harvest. Aphid abundance increased to a maximum during the 12th Standard Meteorological Week and declined thereafter. Potassium silicate significantly reduced aphid abundance in a concentration-dependent manner. The 2.0% treatment recorded the lowest seasonal mean aphid population (23.7 aphids per 10 plants), compared with 51.3 aphids per 10 plants in the untreated control, corresponding to a 53.8% reduction. The same treatment produced the highest grain number per spike (52.4), test weight (46.3 g) and grain yield (49.6 q ha⁻¹), with grain yield 22.2% higher than the control. Under the conditions of this study, foliar potassium silicate, particularly at 2.0%, was associated with lower aphid infestation and improved wheat yield attributes.
T. Singh, Jenia Thakur, Kavita Bajaj et al.· Journal of Experimental Agri...· 0 citations
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) serves as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s agricultural economy, yet its productivity is severely threatened by the sap-sucking whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). While chemical control strategies face rising insecticide resistance, host plant resistance offers a sustainable alternative. This study evaluated the population dynamics of whitefly nymphs across ten distinct cotton genotypes comprising five transgenic cultivars (IUB-13, IUB-222, CIM-600, FH-114, FH-901) and five conventional cultivars (NIAB-1048, NIAB-545, MNH-1016, MNH-1020, CIM-496) at Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan. The trial was arranged using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications, omitting any chemical plant protection measures. Nymph populations were monitored fortnightly over a six-week period spanning for a cotton season. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant variations in whitefly infestations among the genotypes across all time points. Early in the season (11 July), genotypic differences were minimal but statistically significant ($F = 1.731, p = 0.040$). However, variations peaked dramatically during the vegetative stage on 22 August ($F = 9.847, p < 0.001$), indicating strong morpho-biochemical differentiation among cultivars. Moderate significance was observed on 12 September ($F = 1.917, p = 0.019$), followed by a highly significant late-season population resurgence on 22 September ($F = 5.488, p < 0.001$). These findings indicate that specific cotton genotypes harbor persistent, growth-stage-dependent defense mechanisms. Integrating these resistant cultivars into national variety evaluation systems provides an eco-friendly foundation for robust integrated pest management (IPM) systems in whitefly-prone regions.
Muhammad Arshad Qazi, A. Farid, M. Bashir et al.· Jammu Kashmir Journal of Agr...· 0 citations
Botrytis grey mold (BGM), caused by Botrytis cinerea, is an important constraint to chickpea production in humid environments of Nepal. Field experiments were conducted at the Oilseed Research Program, Nawalpur, Sarlahi, Nepal, during the winter seasons of 2079/80 and 2080/81 to evaluate 12 elite chickpea genotypes, including released variety Tara as a standard check, received from Grain Legumes Research Program, Khajura, Banke for BGM response and yield performance. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were recorded for phenological, agronomic and yield traits, along with BGM severity. Significant genotypic variation (P<0.05) was observed for BGM severity, flowering and maturity days, plant height, pods/plant and grain yield. Mean BGM severity decreased from 59.0% in the first year to 45.8% in the second year, while mean grain yield increased from 1017.7 to 1275.4 kg /ha. ICCV 87312 showed the lowest BGM severity in both years (44.4 and 31.5%) and recorded the highest grain yield in the second year (1773.7 kg/ha). KWR 108 also showed comparatively low and consistent BGM severity (44.4 and 38.9%) with good yield performance. The genotype × year interaction for BGM severity was non-significant indicating relatively consistent genotype responses across seasons. ICCV 87312 and KWR 108 are promising genotypes for further multi-location evaluation and breeding for moderate BGM resistance combined with high yield in Nepal.
S. Subedi, S. Sah, Anil Pokhrel et al.· Nepal Agriculture Research J...· 0 citations
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