Effect of Sowing Dates on Potential Yield and Rust Resistance of Some Wheat Cultivars

Abstract

Wheat production influenced by stripe, stem and Leaf rusts all over the world and Egypt. In the preset study, effect of sowing dates (1st November, 15th November, 1st December and 15th December) on rust fungi causing agents and their impact on potential yield of nine wheat cultivars. (Giza 171, Shandaweel 1, Misr 1, Misr 2, Sakha 94, Sakha 95, Sids 12, Gemmeiza 11 and Gemmeiza 12) were evaluated during 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. Results showed that among sowing dates, rust severity was lower in early sowing (1st November and 15th November) and sever infection was in late sowing (1st December and 15th December). In the early sowing has paramount importance to combat rust severity effectively. Results also revealed that sowing in Nov.15 resulted in high number of days to heading, plant height, number of spikes/m2, biological yield, number of grains/spike and straw yield in both seasons. Meanwhile sowing in 1st November resulted in high values of days to maturity and 1000 kernel weight. Wheat cultivars notably differed in all previous mentioned characters. Gemmeiza 11 was early in heading while Misr 2 was delayed in both seasons. Sids 12 and Gemmeiza 11 were early in maturity while Shandaweel 1 was vice versa. Sakha 95 cultivar surpassed other cultivars in grain yield/fed followed by Misr 2. Moreover Sakha 95 expressed high rust resistance followed by Shandaweel 1 and Giza171 in both seasons. Results exhibited that rust disease severity has a strong negative correlation with grain yield and the interaction effects among sowing dates and different wheat cultivars were significant on all studied characters in both seasons. Finally, delaying sowing date caused considerable reduction in previous studied characters in both seasons and increase rust severity.