Net blotch in semi-arid regions of Morocco II

Abstract Net blotch incited by Pyrenophora teres f. teres is an important constraint for barley production in the semi-arid regions of Morocco, reaching epidemic proportions under favorable weather conditions. In this study, we generated 480 epidemics. These epidemics were characterized at five sites and for six different varieties with plants either inoculated by the pathogen or treated with fungicide tilt (propiconazle) 250 a.i. ha −1 . The study was conducted in two growing seasons (1995–1996 and 1996–1997). Disease severity and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) were related to grain yield. Critical-point model (CPM) and multiple-point model (MPM) did not explain the yield variability encountered and were not investigated further. For the same reason, the relationship between the AUDPC and yield was discarded. Disease effect on yield loss was closely related to yield potential in each growing season, and could not be used to predict yield or yield losses. Estimated yield losses due to net blotch varied between 14 and 29% with resistant varieties out yielding susceptible varieties by 39% when there was no disease control and by 56% under fungicide treatment. Varietal resistance is essential to the control of barley net blotch. A response surface model based on grain yield, AUDPC and growth stage explained most of the yield variability ( R 2 =0.94). This model was validated with 13 barley varieties and two mixtures. The fitting of this response surface model predicted grain yields within ±200 kg ha −1 when tested from booting to flowering stages.