Characterization of Environmental Factors for the Prediction of Leaf Rust of Wheat in Sargodha

Wheat leaf rust (Puccinia recondite f. sp. tritici) is amongst major wheat diseases occurring in all wheat growing areas of Pakistan. Losses due to the infection by P. recondite f. sp. Tritici have lowered the wheat production potentially in previous years in Pakistan. This problem can be avoided by incorporating resistance against disease in wheat. In the present study eight genotypes/lines were screened and correlated with epidemiological factors i.e. temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and wind speed. The overall results revealed that among all these lines, four genotypes/lines i.e. A-24, A-20, K-11 and A-25 were susceptible to leaf rust of wheat, while the rest of four lines/genotypes i.e. A-09, A-17, A-08 and A-29 were moderately susceptible to this disease. No line/genotype showed resistant, moderately resistant or immune response to leaf rust of wheat. Correlation showed clear response of disease development to environmental factors. Maximum temperature of the disease severity was 23.8-27.15℃. Similarly, the range of minimum temperature at which disease severity recorded maximum was 16-18℃. The ranges of relative humidity, rainfall and wind speed on which disease severity was maximum were 60-64%, 8-22.50 mm and 11.8-12.98 Km/h, respectively. The study showed that environmental conditions of Sargodha significantly affected disease development of leaf rust of wheat.