On-farm Yield Loss Due to Leaf Rust (Puccinia hordei Otth) on Barley

Abstract

Barley yield loss assessment study due to barley leaf rust was conducted by superimposing on an already planted white seeded local barley variety on farmers fields at Tikur Inchini and Shenen districts of West Shewa zone for three seasons starting in 1995. The trial was laid out in a randomized complete block design with a paired (fungicide unsprayed and sprayed) treatment and replicated at four sites. Depending up on the growth stages of the crop at which barley leaf rust infection started on the unsprayed treatments, the progress of the disease varied from AUDPC 2841.7 in 1995 to AUDPC 1365.0 in 1996 seasons with a mean AUDPC 1932.8. It was zero on the sprayed treatments. Yield losses also varied according to the development of the disease. Mean leaf rust severity on the
unsprayed treatment was significantly higher than on the sprayed treatment, while mean grain yield and thousand kernel weight (TKW) on the unsprayed treatments were significantly lower than on the sprayed treatments. The mean variation between the two
treatments, however was by far less in kernel number per spike (KNS4) and least in number of productive tillers (NPT4) per plot. Hence, mean losses caused by barley leaf rust were 28.3% for grain yield; 16.6% for TKW, 7.2% for KNS 1 and 4.8% for NPT'1. To minimize these losses effective control measures have to be designed.