Abstract
Wheat rust outbreak especially yellow rust is the major production constraint in Ethiopia. Arsi Zone is the hot spot zone for yellow rust (<i>Puccinia striiformis</i> (<i>Pst</i>)) particularly Meraro and Bekoji sites are frequently yellow rust epidemic was occur due favorable environmental and higher pressure of inoculums in the areas. Therefore, the objective the study was to identify sources of resistance against yellow rust at adult plant stage under hot spot sites. In this study, Three hundred seventy five elite breeding and advanced lines were planted at Meraro, Arsi-Robe and Bekoji. The results show that 34, 10 and 54% of the lines at Meraro were found resistant to moderately resistant, intermediate and moderately susceptible to susceptible. At Arsi-Robe 61, 23.5 and 15.5% of lines were showed that resistant to moderately resistant, intermediate and moderately susceptible to susceptible. Finally, at Bekoji 35.5, 21.3 and 43.2% lines at were resistant to moderately resistant, intermediate and moderately susceptible to susceptible category of yellow rust. Average coefficient of infection (ACI) less than 20% showed at Meraro (34%), Bekoji (35.5%) and Arsi-Robe (61%) was good percent of resistance to the current yellow rust pressure respectively, indicating higher disease pressure at Meraro and Bekoji than that of Arsi-Robe. Among the lines, 43.7% showed a good level of resistance (<30% severity) in all locations. Generally, most of the lines, which showed better resistance at Arsi-Robe, were susceptible at Meraro and Bekoji.
Highlights
In Ethiopia wheat (Triticum aestivum) is one of the staple food crops cultivated by 5million small scale farmers and it is covered 1.7 million hectares and it accounts for 13.49% of the cropland, with an annual production of 4.5 million metric tons in the country [6]
From 375 elite breeding and advanced lines at Meraro, Arsi Robe and Bekoji 15, 1 and 31 were immune against all the races of yellow rust prevailing in nature respectively (Table 2)
Two elite lines show an average coefficient of infection (ACI) value of less than or equal two
Summary
In Ethiopia wheat (Triticum aestivum) is one of the staple food crops cultivated by 5million small scale farmers and it is covered 1.7 million hectares and it accounts for 13.49% of the cropland, with an annual production of 4.5 million metric tons in the country [6]. Wheat ranks fourth after teff, maize and sorghum and the mean wheat yield in Ethiopia is estimated to be 2.67 t ha-1 [6], which is well below the world mean of 3.0 t ha-1 [9] This is due to losses caused by biotic and a biotic constraints [1, 10]. Yellow rust can cause yield losses of up to 100% on susceptible cultivars if infection was occurs at early stage and the disease continues to develop during all growing season [3, 11]. According to Mozgovoy [12], epidemics of yellow rust occurred in 1977, 1980-83 and 1986, resulting 30-40% yield losses In another report, grain yield losses up to 96% were impose on susceptible wheat cultivars [18]. The past two decades, frequent epidemics of yellow rust have been a major challenge to wheat production in the country. Searching for resistance sources to the current yellow rusts
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
