Abstract
Soil tillage and crop rotation are considered important tools in wheat leaf disease control; however, the results of investigations are inconsistent. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the soil tillage system and cropping sequence on the development of winter wheat leaf diseases in 2012–2017. The disease development was assessed in a two-factor experiment: (a) soil tillage system; and (b) crop rotation. Foliar fungicides were used uniformly in all variants. The results showed that tan spot (caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) dominated in 2012, 2013, and 2016, but the level of Septoria tritici blotch (Zymoseptoria tritici) was essentially lower and exceeded the severity of tan spot only in 2015. The agronomic practice used significantly influenced only the development of tan spot. Reduced soil tillage and continuous wheat sowing substantially increased tan spot severity, especially when both practices were used simultaneously. Short crop rotation (only wheat and oilseed rape) provided sufficient control of tan spot in ploughed fields, whereas in non-ploughed fields, the level of this disease did not decrease. The results could be explained by differences in the pathogens’ life cycle: P. tritici-repentis ascospores in wheat debris is the main source of infection; in contrast, Z. tritici spreads by conidia from living plants.
Highlights
Winter wheat is one of the most profitable crops in Latvia—it covers almost 25% of the country’s arable land
Septoria tritici blotch, and mildew were observed throughout the whole investigation period, but other leaf diseases were not detected
The soil tillage method influenced the development of wheat leaf diseases, but this impact was ambiguous (Figure 2)
Summary
Winter wheat is one of the most profitable crops in Latvia—it covers almost 25% of the country’s arable land. Wheat is grown in continuous wheat sowings or short rotations where only wheat and oilseed rape are included. Farmers are searching for more beneficial cropping systems, a result of which is that different types of conservation tillage have become increasingly popular. Conservation tillage systems are recognized as sustainable agricultural production systems that improve soil fertility and allow for saving resources [1]. On the other hand, reduced soil tillage may increase the level of diseases, especially in combination with poor crop rotation. Many investigations have been carried out regarding the advantages and disadvantages of these systems, but the results are still inconsistent or contradictory
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