Evaluation of Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat Associated With Agronomic Practices in Southwest and Central Ethiopia

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is caused primarily by Fusarium graminearum (Gibberella zeae L.) and is a major problem to wheat production in Ethiopia. It directly affects the yield of wheat and indirectly contaminates products due to mycotoxins. A field survey was conducted in Central and Southwest Ethiopia to assess the intensity of FHB of wheat and its association with agronomic practices during the 2019/2020 cropping season. A total of 144 fields in 12 districts were surveyed and analysed using GENMOD technique in SAS. Logistic regression was used to test the association of FHB with agronomic factors. The result showed that FHB was prevalent in all surveyed fields and widely distributed with 100% incidence in some fields. FHB epidemic was favoured in areas with humid weather, and most notably includes Tello, Deddo, Mencho, She-Bench and Adiyo districts in Southwest Ethiopia, but was suppressed in Endegagn, Soddo and Wolisso districts of Central Ethiopia. These results confirm that Southwest Ethiopia was severely affected by FHB than Central Ethiopia. High FHB incidence (≥75%) and severity index (≥55%) were associated with potato, teff and maize as preceding crops; less frequent ploughing; late planting time (September and beyond it); and Kakaba’a’, Kingbird and Mekuye as recently sown wheat varieties. Low FHB intensity had high probability of association with planting in July, peas and beans as preceding crops and Triticale, Hidase and Shorima as a recently sown wheat varieties. The study suggests that the use of peas and beans as a preceding crop, frequent ploughing, use of less infected wheat varieties and planting in July could be used in designing integrated disease management options to reduce FHB epidemic in wheat.