Incidence and effects of Septoria nodorum on wheat cultivars

Abstract

SUMMARYWheat cultivars were grown in two field trials in which half the plots were artificially inoculated with Septoria nodorum. There were differences between cultivars in the degree of 5. nodorum infection on flag leaves and on ears. Hybrid 46, Maris Huntsman and Maris Widgeon were among those with the least infection, and Maris Ranger and Maris Templar among those with the most. Severity of infection was positively correlated with both short stature and earliness of maturity. Infection on leaves was positively correlated with infection on ears. Inoculation reduced yield by decreasing two of its components, grain number per ear and 1000‐grain weight. A very early maturing cultivar, Sterling, sustained no yield loss despite severe infection; for the remaining cultivars, yield loss was positively correlated with degree of infection.