Abstract

Landuber Wendale, Habtamu Ayalew , Getaneh Woldeab , Girma Mulugeta

The impact of yellow rust on grain yield and thousand grains weight was assessed by superimposing trials on farmer’s fields in three administrative zones in Amhara region. Paired (fungicide sprayed and unsprayed) plots with two replications were used in three districts with three localities each. Yellow rust resulted in a significant (P<0.05) reduction in grain yield (34%) and thousand seed weight (16.7 %) in the region. Grain yield losses of 47.2% and 32% were observed in the worst scenario in north Shewa and in east Gojam zones, respectively. Grain yield loss was lowest (28%) for south Gondar zone. The wheat cultivars suffered the highest yield and seed weight reductions as compared to triticale. Grain yield reductions of 41.5% and 43.6% were recorded on cultivars HAR 1685 and HAR 604, respectively while the triticale cultivar, Logaw Shibo showed a 23.8% reduction. Reductions in thousand seed weight were 19.2% for the cultivar HAR 1685 and 21.7% for HAR 604. The seed weight loss of triticale was only 8.5%. This data indicates that the effect of yellow rust on yields of wheat and triticale was significant in the region and of course spraying chemicals did significantly reduce the impact of the disease.