PREVALENCE, INTENSITY, AND MORPHOLOGICAL VARIABILITY OF WHEAT BLOTCH (ZYMOSEPTORIA TRITICI) IN OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Studies of the wheat Zymoseptoria tritici blotch (ZTB) status in different locations, on agronomic practice, and pathogen variability has not yet been studied in Ethiopia. As a result, the goal of this study was to determine ZTB's distribution and intensity, as well as the morphological variability of isolates. In Oromia's central-southeastern region, zones and districts were purposefully chosen, whereas kebeles were determined via a systematic sampling procedure. In a generalized linear model (GLM), the mean comparison of fixed effects was examined using least significant difference (LSD) tests. Colony texture, shapes, and colors were used to identify isolate variability. Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between disease intensity and the independent variable, and multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the magnitudes of the association. A total of 108 fields were examined, with the percent occurrence of zones (88.9 to 100%) and districts (77.8 to 100%) recorded. ZTB intensity was not significantly different across districts (p < 0.05) while severity was significantly different across zones (p < 0.01). Weed infestation (r = 0.78 and r = 0.20) and growth phases (r = 0.72 and r = 0.36) had a positive correlation, although plowing frequency (r =-0.77 and r =-0.43) had a negative correlation with incidence and severity. There are 43 isolates classified into four colors, three textures, and three growth forms. The ZTB epidemics in current research areas are need more consideration and they should be prioritized for integrated management. Our data suggest that weed control, soil tillage, and crop rotation are all effective ways to mitigate the effects of wheat ZTB.