Leaf spotting reaction of spring common, durum and spelt wheat, and Kamut under organic management in western Canada

Abstract

Fernandez, M. R., Fox, S. L., Hucl, P. and Singh, A. K. 2014. Leaf spotting reaction of spring common, durum and spelt wheat, and Kamut under organic management in western Canada. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 929–935. A 3-yr field study (2010 to 2012) was conducted in southwest Saskatchewan to determine the reaction of common, durum and spelt wheat cultivars currently registered in western Canada, and of Kamut wheat, to the leaf spot disease complex (LS) under organic management. The genotypes selected for this study are often grown by organic producers in this region. Overall, the most common LS diseases observed had been observed in previous studies under conventional management in the same area. For all 3 yr, common wheat cultivars with the highest LS scores were AC Barrie, CDC Go, Superb, and Unity, while those with the lowest scores were AC Andrew, CDC Bounty and Lillian. For durum wheat, Kyle had overall the greatest LS scores. CDC Zorba had lower LS scores than the other spelt wheat, CDC Origin, and it also had the lowest LS levels of all genotypes in this study. Kamut wheat was similar to the common and durum wheat cultivars for LS severity. The relative presence of the most common LS pathogens isolated (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, Phaeosphaeria nodorum, Phaeosphaeria avenaria f. sp. triticea, Cochliobolus sativus, Mycosphaerella graminicola) from each of the four wheat species in each of the three years is also presented and discussed.