Status of Fusarium head blight on wheat fields in Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Status of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) had thoroughly assessed on 52 soft wheat fields from 5 districts within 3 zones of Oromia, Ethiopia. The results showed FHB was 93.9% prevalent with significantly varied levels of incidences (among zones) and severity (among districts and zones). The highest incidence of 38.7 and 26.0% had been recorded in Buno-Bedele and Jimma zones. Correspondingly, the highest field-severity and FHB-index of 28.2 and 13.9% had been recorded in Buno-Bedele. Besides, the 2 mostly grown Danda’a and Digalu varieties were vulnerable to FHB sustaining 32.3 and 30.5% incidence, 21.8% and 21.7% field-severity, and 10.5% and 8.8% FHB-index. The variation in FHB intensity had mostly influenced by altitude, tillage frequency before sowing, and rainfall received during flowering to hard-dough stages. This study reveals evidence that FHB is becoming an important disease to wheat in Southwestern Ethiopia (SWE). Thus, demands an intervention to reduce its probable risk to wheat across SWE.

Keywords

• fhb
• triticum aestivum
• soft wheat