On-Farm Evaluation and Demonstration of Integrated Wheat Rust Management in Central Ethiopia Region

Ethiopia has enormous potential to produce wheat (Triticum spp) in vast amount. However, the production is curtailed by various biotic and abiotic stresses, among these yellow rust diseases caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici and stem rust caused by (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) are the most devastating wheat production bottleneck in Ethiopia. Thus, the current study was designed with the goal of demonstrating integrated wheat rust management in the Alicho and Mareko districts during the 2018 growing season. Farmers were chosen specifically based on the availability of suitable farm land and their willingness to participate in the demonstration fields. The experiment was conducted in a single plot design with farmers serving as replications. Two best performing moderately susceptible bread wheat varieties were used each at different location. Both fungicides showed significant differences in reducing rust severity. The maximum present diseases control 79.3% of yellow rust was recorded from Rex®Duo. In another location the highest stem rust disease control of 75.6% was recorded from Tilt 250 EC. Both fungicide applications showed a considerable production advantage over untreated plots. Rex®Duo controlled effectively the yellow rust and Tilt 250 EC control the stem rust and increasing yield of bread wheat. Therefore, based on cost benefit analysis, the combination use of Denda'a and Rex®Duo is the best integrated yellow rust management way, whereas the combination of Ogolcho and Tilt 250 EC proved the optimum grain yield by decreasing stem rusts and can be recommended for the area and similar agro-ecologies.