Journal of Plant Pathology Archive

Abstract:

Climatic conditions and soil management rank among the most important factors influencing the infection of winter wheat by eyespot and other stem-base diseases. Records of the climatic conditions (temperature, precipitation, and air humidity) over a 14-year period, 1994-2007, were used to develop a prediction model for eyespot infection using multiple regression. Since the most critical factor affecting eyespot is precipitation, graded watering (0, 10 and 20 liters of water) was tested at various timings of application in small-plot experiments in 2005-2007 in order to determine the severity of stem base infection by eyespot. In addition, in 2006 and 2007, the effect of soil management (tillage 22 cm, 15 cm, and no-till) on wheat infection by eyespot and other stem-base pathogens was measured using molecular diagnosis. The climatic model developed is statistically significant, showing that the most important factor affecting eyespot infection in wheat is the number of days with rainfall above 3 mm through October to April. Experimental watering did not significantly affect the severity of infection. Soil management had only a limited effect on the incidence of stem-base diseases. F. avenaceum was more prevalent in the variant with tillage 22 cm in the year 2007.