Evaluation of wheat cultivars for slow rusting resistance in Guji zone, Southern Oromia

Abstract

Evaluation of Eleven and local bread wheat cultivars evaluated for slow rusting resistance was conducted in Bore district of southern Oromia during the main cropping season of 2011 under natural epidemics at Bore Agricultural Research site. Field evaluation of slow rusting resistance was assessed through Incidence, disease severity (DS), AUDPC and rAUDPC. Results of mean comparison of final rust severity, AUDPC and rAUDPC indicating that the cultivars; PBW343, Kubsa, Hawi, local and Galema had highest final rust severity (FRS) and rAUDPC and susceptible infection (4) at the later growth stage. Shorima, Danda`a, Kakaba, ET13A2 and Digalu had moderately resistance to moderately susceptible infection type at later growth stage. However, disease development on this cultivar was very slow compared to the highly susceptible cultivars. That why these cultivars had low disease severity, low AUDPC and rAUDPC, that is, up to 70% of susceptible cultivars and they could have probably slow rusting resistance. Cultivar ETBW5496 had no any infection and thus selected as immune or resistance cultivar. Key words: Slow rusting, rAUDPC, Oromia.