The effect of zinc fertilizer on take-all and the grain yield of wheat grown on zinc-deficient soils of the Esperance region, Western Australia

Abstract

Wheat plants were grown in field experiments with five levels of zinc (Zn) fertilizer applied to plots in 1983. The plots were continuously cropped with wheat to allow the build up ofGaeumannomyces graminis var.tritici (Ggt). For experiments 1 and 2, there were high levels of Ggt in the second and third years while for experiment 3 there were high levels of Ggt incidence in the third and fourth year of continuous cropping. The Zn status of the wheat plants, grain yield, and the incidence and severity of take-all were measured for every experiment each year. The Zn-deficient wheat plants were more severely infected by Ggt. However, increasing the Zn supply beyond that required for maximum grain yield had no further effects on decreasing the severity of take-all. The Zn concentration in the youngest emerged blade (YEB) suggested that the Zn status of the wheat plant ranged from severely Zn-deficient through marginal deficiency to sufficiency. The Zn-deficient wheat plant was more susceptible to Ggt infection than Zn-adequate plants. The severity of take-all in the final year was still high in Zn-adequate plants, suggesting high levels of applied Zn (11.2 kg Zn/ha in 1983) had no fungistatic effect on Ggt.