Environmental Factors and Yellow Rust Epidemic on Wheat Varieties in Punjab, Pakistan

Author(s) : Shiraz Ali, Muhammad Imran Khan, Muhammad Shahbaz,, Ghulam Nabi, Muhammad Zeeshan, Saba Aleem, Manzoor Hussain, Saadia

Digital object identifier:

doi.org/10.52587/JAF080301

Abstract:

This study was conducted at Barani Agricultural Research Station, Fatehjang, Punjab, Pakistan for two years during 2018 and 2019. A set of one hundred genotypes of wheat including commercial varieties and advanced lines from different sources were screened against yellow rust under field conditions. Based on observations against yellow rust, it was found that out of these 100 wheat genotypes 48 showed 60-100% yellow rust severity and characterized as susceptible to moderately susceptible. Twenty-three genotypes showed 40 – 59% yellow rust infection, while 17 showed 20-39% disease severity and characterized as moderately susceptible & moderately resistant to moderately susceptible respectively. Four genotypes showed 10-19% disease severity and were characterized as moderately resistant while only eight genotypes remained resistant. Yield losses were more than 46 % in wheat genotypes having maximum yellow rust severity upto 80% and yield losses were minimum in moderately resistant to resistant genotypes. When the maximum temperature rises in the winter months (February and March) then an increase in the yellow rust epidemic was seen. It was concluded from the study of these two consecutive years that the stripe rust disease epidemic is highly dependent on favorable environmental conditions like more humidity due to rainfall and a rise in maximum temperature.