Distribution and Associated Factors Influencing Yellow Rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) Epidemic Developments in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Yellow rust is one of the most economically important diseases of bread wheat worldwide, including Ethiopia, and the disease significantly impacted agronomic performance of the crop. The objectives of this study were to assess the status, prevalence, incidence, and severity of yellow rust and to determine its associations with biophysical factors in the study area. A field survey was conducted in the Amhara region, Ethiopia, during the 2023 main cropping season, and a total of 100 fields were assessed by purposive sampling method. Results indicated that disease parameters were highly significantly associated (p < 0.01) with different biophysical factors. About 72% of the fields that were inspected had yellow rust, whereas only 28% of the fields showed no signs of the disease. The maximum disease prevalence (76%), disease incidence (68.85%), and disease severity (58.26%) were recorded from the Goncha Siso Enesie district, whereas the minimum disease prevalence (68%), disease incidence (47.82%), and disease severity (35.46%) were obtained from the Enarj Enawuga district. Districts, sowing date, planting methods, planting density, growth stage, sowing varieties, field history, altitude, management practices, and land plowing frequency were all independent variables that were highly significantly (add class boundary) associated with yellow rust incidence and severity as single predictors in the logistic regression model after the variables were entered. Thus, the field survey has confirmed that yellow rust was highly distributed and was a major disease in the study areas. This could imply the need for developing biologically safe and effective disease control strategies in the study areas and related areas.