2019/11/22 by Zelalem Bekeko, Bekeko, Zelalem
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Eastern Hararghe Zone #Ecology #Epidemiology #Incidence #Prevalence #Severity #Western Hararghe Zone #Wheat and Barley Genetics and Pathology
paper · doi:10.20372/eajs.v13i2.799
openalex publication_date 2019/11/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
Maize is an important staple crop in Ethiopia. However, its production is threatened by a number of diseases among which common rust caused by Puccinia sorghi, is the most destructive foliar disease of the crop in the country. Data are useful to gain insight into the occurrence, distribution, relative importance of plant diseases and the association of these diseases with cropping systems, environmental factors and cultural practices. Therefore, field surveys were conducted during 2013 and 2014 main cropping seasons in Hararghe highlands, Ethiopia to investigate the prevalence, intensity and importance of common rust of maize. In both years, a total of 230 maize fields were surveyed in eastern and western Hararghe zones. In order to incorporate different altitudinal ranges and analyze the survey data, a three-stage nested design was used. Among the surveyed maize fields, 85% of them were infested with the disease. The mean disease incidence in two years ranged from 75% in the eastern Hararghe to 100% in the western Hararghe zone and the severity ranged from 25% to 65%, respectively. Combined analysis over the years also showed that the mean incidence and severity of common rust of maize were significantly associated with the zones (χ2=15, df=1, P=0.0001). The highest mean common rust incidence (95%) and severity (55%) were recorded for Boke, Chiro, Oda Bultum and Tullo districts in the western Hararghe zone whilst Deder, Chelenko, Haramaya and Kombolcha districts of the eastern Hararghe zone had the lowest mean incidence (45%) and severity (25%) scores, respectively. Higher epidemic frequency of the disease was also associated with intermediate and humid areas (Tullo, Boke and Oda Bultum districts) (χ2=30, df=7, P=0.0001). The prevalence, intensity, and importance of the disease was also correlated with cropping systems, altitude, weather variables and varieties used during the survey time (r=0.55; r=0.45; r=0.25 and r=0.50), respectively. It is, thus, concluded, that common rust (Puccinia sorghi Schw.) is the most widely distributed and important foliar disease of maize in Hararghe highlands.