Evaluation of biofumigation plants on Fusarium crown rot and head blight of wheat in North Sinai

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant Pathology Lab, Plant Production Department, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, Arish 45516, Egypt.

2 Agronomy Lab, Plant Production Department, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, Arish 45516, Egypt.

3 Faculty of Desert and Environmental Agriculture, Matrouh University, Al Dabaa, Marsa Matrouh 5002113, Egypt.

Abstract

Fusarium head blight and Fusarium crown rot diseases caused by Fusarium sp. are among the most severe plant diseases in the world. diseased samples were collected from fields in Al-Arish in late May 2021 and 2022. In this study an isolate of Fusarium nygamai was identified with a GenBank accession number OQ152508. The pathogenicity tests on six cultivars of wheat (Misr1, Misr3, Giza171, Sids14, Egaseed22, and Sakha 95) showed that cultivar Giza171 had the highest percentage of disease severity (3.33). In contrast, cultivars Sids14 and Saka95 had the least percentage of disease severity (1.25). Disease incidence of Misr1 and Misr3 cultivars had the maximum rate at (100, and 100 %) respectively.  This study aimed to explore biofumigation as a sustainable alternative to conventional fungicides by assessing the impact of four biofumigant plants (Cabbage, Turnip, Rocket, and Radish) on the pathological characteristics of five wheat cultivars (Misr1, Misr3, Giza171, Sakha95, and Sids14), in comparison to a control treatment for controlling crown rot and head blight of wheat. In vitro, biofumigation with rocket treatment was the most effective treatment that reduced the mycelial growth of Fusarium nygamai. Greenhouse, biofumigation with rocket was the most effective treatment that reduced severity and incidence of disease with F. nygamai in both seasons. In addition, it decreased the infected spike number with isolate F. nygamai. Laboratory and Greenhouse trials proved that biofumigation was effective in controlling FCR disease of wheat as an environmentally friendly control treatment.

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