Revista de Patología Vegetal y Microbiología

Abstracto

Participatory Evaluation of Maize Varieties for the Management of Maize Gray Leaf Spot Disease (Cercospora zeae maydis) at Gondar Zuria District, in Northwestern Ethiopia

Mengist Y and Moges Y

Gray leaf spot is one of the major constraints of maize production in Ethiopia where warm humid environmental condition is prevailing. A field experiment was conducted in Gondar zuria district of western Ethiopia during 2016/17 and 2017/18 cropping season with the aim to evaluate effective maize varieties for the management of maize gray leaf spot disease. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in three replications. Nine improved varieties i.e., SBRH, Gibie 2, Gibie 3, Gibie 3, Jibat, BH-546, SPRH, Wonji, AMR-852 and one local maize(check) were tested for GLS resistance. The varieties significantly varied and there were showed significant differences at p<0.05 in the overall mean of GLS disease incidence, severity, AUDPC%-day, yield and yield component parameter. Data were analyzed using SAS system version 9.2. The result indicated that the maximum disease incidence and AUDPC%-day value, 58.8% and 214.83%-day, respectively were recorded from local maize, followed by AMR-852 variety which result of 56.27% and 211.06%-day while the minimum incidence and AUDPC%-day value, 22.7% and 150.49%-day, respectively were recorded from Gibie 2 variety, followed by Jibat variety which result of 24.17% and 152.64%-day. The maximum grain yield of 8611.7 kg/ha was recorded from Gibie 2 variety while the minimum grain yield of 4542.3 kg/ha was recorded from local maize, followed by AMR-852 variety which result of 4763.3 kg/ha. The study suggested that variety of Gibie 2 and Jibat were showed minimum grain yield loss which result of negligible and 1.47%, losses, respectively and showed significant reduction of maize GLS incidence, with a corresponding increased grain yield of maize.