Evaluation of Quake TM 112.5 EC Fungicide against Stripe and Stem Rust Diseases on Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Arsi Zone, Ethiopia
Abstract
K. Daniel*, M. Getinet, A. Alemu, N. Tamerat, P. Everlyne, G. Yordanos and J. Yimenu
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal and food security crops in Ethiopia. The crop is widely grown by subsistent farmers under rain-fed conditions and over one-third of cereal farm households are dependent on wheat farming. The mean wheat yield in the country is estimated to be 2.67 t ha-1 which is well below the world mean yield (3 tons/ha) and research station (6-7 tons/ha) mean yield. This is due to losses caused by biotic and abiotic constraints. Among the biotic stresses, wheat rust especially, stripe and stem rust diseases caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici and Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici, respectively are the most bottlenecks for wheat production. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of fungicides against stripe and stem rust diseases and recommend them to farmers in Ethiopia. It was conducted at three stripe rust and stem rust hot spot locations respectively, for stripe rust we selected (Kulumsa, Boru-chilalow, Meraro) and Stem rust (Kulumsa, Asasa on Farm and Asasa on station) from the 2019-2021 main cropping season. Two standard check fungicides including an untreated check (Nil) were used as a treatment. The experiment was laid out in non-replicated plots at three locations for stripe and stem rust respectively. In this case, locations were considered as replicas. Fungicide spray treatments significantly reduced both stripe and stem rust disease severity to the lowest level likely over the nil application. However, there was no statistically significant difference (p ≤ 5%) between the test and check fungicides in reducing both stripe and stem rust disease severity. Experimental fungicide s revealed comparable and better levels of efficacy on both stripe and stem rust disease severity reduction compared to the standard check. There is a highly significant difference (p ≤ 5%) in biomass yield, grain yield and thousand kernel weight between fungicide treatments and nil application of fungicide. The highest grain yield was obtained from Quake TM 112.5 EC sprayed plots while the lowest was from nil application. Newly tested fungicides revealed better grain yield advantage than the standard check fungicides. All fungicide treatments also obtain a significant yield advantage over untreated plots. The newly evaluated fungicides are found to be very effective in controlling both stripe rust and stem rust diseases of wheat and it is recommended 1 liter/ha for controlling stripe and stem rust disease.