Screening of Wheat Genotypes (<i>Triticum spp</i>) Against Yellow Rust in Arsi, Ethiopia

Abstract

Wheat is one of the most widely grown cereal crops globally. Most wheat production in Ethiopia comes from small holder farmers. It is the third most important cereal crop after teff (<i>Eragrostis tef</i>) and maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) in area coverage and production in Ethiopia. The pathogen causing stripe rust disease infects the green parts on the cereals and grasses. Infection can happen anytime from the one-leaf to plant maturity phase provided the host plants are still green. Screening of 38 wheat genotypes (<i>Triticum spp</i>) was made to identify resistant against yellow rust (<i>Puccinia Striforma.fs.Tritici</i>) at Kulumsa agricultural research center and Meraro station in 2015 cropping season in Ethiopia. The experiment was laid out in augmented (non- replicated) design. Each plot consisted of two rows of 1-m long with spacing of 0.20m between rows. The average coefficient of infection varied from 0 to 100. The disease was as high as 100 CI on the susceptible check Lackech. The field response of wheat lines on resistance wheat lines were zero. Wheat lines Denbi, Mangudo, Hetossa, DZ -04-118, Yerer, Meraro and bollo had the least average coefficient of infection and regarded as resistance and wheat lines LD-157, dashen, lackech, Kulkulu and kubsa had the highest average coefficient of infection and regarded as susceptible to yellow rust at field.