Verification of Tamir 250 g/l EC (Pyraclostrobin) Fungicide Against Yellow Rust (<i>pucciniastriformis.f.s.tritici</i>) on Bread Wheat (<i>Triticumaestivum</i> L) in Bale, Southeast of Ethiopia

Ethiopia's wheat crop faces significant challenges due to fungus, particularly in Bale, which is home to new pathogenic races. These diseases can lead to yield losses of 20-71%, 42-52%, 75, and 82%, respectively. To manage these diseases, Ethiopia breeds resistant cultivars, but resistance screening is crucial due to the evolution of rust disease and new threats. Combining multiple disease resistance sources into a single variety is the most effective way to control wheat diseases. Fungicides have been tested and approved against rusts in wheat, but most susceptible types succumbed to rust. Regular evaluation and verification of new fungicides is essential to maintain wheat production and productivity in Ethiopia. The experiment involved planting Kubsa bread wheat in replica sites in Sinana, Selka, and Agarfa, which is vulnerable to yellow rust disease. A fungicide was manually applied at a 5% severity level during the booting crop growth stage, using a modified Cobb Scale. Grain yield, thousand kernel weight, and hectoliter weight were calculated from seeds collected from a net harvested plot. The R-3.4.3 software was utilized for ANOVA and LSD tests to compare the means of substantially different variables between treatments at 0.05 levels of significance. The Kubsa variety, highly susceptible to yellow rust, showed significant differences in yellow rust disease severity between treatments during the 2019-20 cropping season. Test and check fungicides significantly reduced yellow rust disease severity compared to nil application. However, no significant difference was observed in limiting disease severity. The test fungicide, Tamir 250 g/l, was equally effective in reducing yellow rust disease severity, with a 49% reduction compared to an unsprayed plot. The study found no significant difference in plant height, grain production, thousand kernel weight, and hectoliter weight between test and check fungicides. However, grain yield, thousand kernel weight, and hectoliter weight showed substantial differences. Test and check fungicides showed yield advantages over nil application. Test fungicide Tamir and check fungicide Rex Duo effectively controlled yellow rust. The study found that the test fungicide, Tamir 250 g/l, effectively controlled yellow rust disease in wheat at a rate of 0.5 lit/ha, producing comparable results in plant height, grain yield, thousand kernel weight, and hectoliter weight. It also decreased yellow rust disease severity to the lowest level, suggesting its registration as an alternative to Rex Duo.