Authors : W. Getaneh and C.M. Agu
Abstract: Yield loss studies on barley leaf rust (BLR), caused by Puccinia hordei Otth, were conducted for 3 years between 2003 and 2005 at Ambo Plant Protection Research Centre of the Institute of Agricultural Research. A susceptible variety �Trompillo� was used. The experiments were conducted in a split plot design with 4 sowing dates assigned to main plots and fungicide unsprayed and sprayed treatments to subplots. Means of disease severity for unsprayed treatments ranged from AUDPC 661-1278, while that of the sprayed treatments were 0.0. Late planting had a negative effect on grain yield (GY) and thousand kernel weight (TKW). Moreover, the fungicide unsprayed treatments were significantly lower in GY, TKW and kernels per spike (KPS) as compared to the sprayed treatments. Interaction effects between sowing date and fungicide treatments were also significant. Differences between unsprayed and sprayed treatments increased in all selected yield parameters as the sowing date was delayed. The losses in GY due to BLR for the 4 sowing dates ranged from 6.9-40.2%; for TKW from 5.9-27.6% and for KPS from 0-16.5%. Under normal sowing date (June 16), the losses for GY, TKW and KPS were 23.4, 14.3 and 0.2%, respectively. There were highly significant negative correlations between BLR severity and GY and between BLR and TKW. These results confirm the economic importance of BLR on barley.
W. Getaneh and C.M. Agu , 2008. Yield Loss Due to Leaf Rust on Barley at Different Sowing Dates. Plant Sciences Research, 1: 40-43.