Research Article

Yellow Rust Surveillance and Deployment of Wheat Cultivars in the Region of Pathogen Diversity in Pakistan

Muhammad Ibrahim1,2*, Syed Jawad Ahmad Shah1, Shaukat Hussain2, Musharaf Ahmad2 and Farhatullah3

1Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Tarnab, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 2Department of Plant Pathology The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 3Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Received | May 07, 2017; Accepted | August 06, 2017; Published | September 13, 2017

*Correspondence | Muhammad Ibrahim, Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Tarnab, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; Email: [email protected]

Citation | Ibrahim, M., S.J.A. Shah, S. Hussain, M. Ahmad and Farhatullah. 2017. Yellow Rust Surveillance and Deployment of Wheat Cultivars in the Region of Pathogen Diversity in Pakistan. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 33(3): 466-473.

DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.sja/2017/33.3.466.473

Keywords | Yellow rust,Surveillance, Puccinia striiformis, Wheat cultivars, Pathogen diversity

Introduction

Yellow rust caused by P. striiformis f. sp tritici is one of the most important foliar diseases of wheat around the world (Welling, 2011) including Asia where it can affect 43 million ha (Singh et al., 2004). Out of the total 9 million ha of wheat acreage in Pakistan, 70% is prone to yellow rust (Bahri et al., 2011) and during different periods have caused 13 epidemics resulting in huge financial losses (Afzal et al., 2008).

During 2005, sever yellow rust epidemic in KPK incurred 100 million US$ loss to Pakistan economy (Duveiller et al., 2007). Yellow rust is more serious in the KPK region of Pakistan and several factors contributed to these historical yellow rust epidemics including monoculture and resistance breakdown of specific cultivars (Inquilab-91: Duveiller et al., 2007; Pirsabak-85 and Pak81: Ehsan et al., 2003), pathogen migration and development of races with new virulences and new combinations of previously existing virulences that circumvent resistance genes in grown cultivars (Ali, 2012; Chen, 2007), presence of alternate host and prevalence of favorable environment (Ibrahim et al., 2015; Chatrath et al., 2007). Under these unique and peculiar regional factors and its proximity to the center of diversity of P. striiformis f. sp tritici (Ali, 2012), yellow rust surveillance for spatial-temporal development and information regarding deployed cultivars becomes much more important and are essential for sustainability of crop protection and improvement initiatives. Such surveys are well documents from other regions of the world including North America, Central Asian Republics (Aslanova et al. 2012), China, Africa (Amil et al., 2012) and Asia (Anonymous, 2015).

This paper reports recent comprehensive yellow rust surveillance results and the status of wheat cultivars deployed in districts representing southern, central and northern wheat production zones in KPK province of Pakistan during 2012 (Figure 1).

Materials and Methods

Districts and area surveyed

Yellow rust surveillance was carried out during 2012 in 5 rainfed districts of the southern zone (Karak, DIKhan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Kohat), 5 medium rainfall districts of the central zone (Mardan, Sawabi, Nowshara, Charsada, Peshawar) and 4 high rainfall districts of the northeren zone (Swat, Manshera, Hari Pur, Abbotabad) of Pakistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Province. Surveillance was carried out in three stage cluster sampling technique. In the 1st step, KPK was divided into 3 zones, namely southern, central and northern. In the 2nd step, districts are selected within each zone. In the 3rd stage, locations were selected within each district based on proportional allocation (the greater district area the greater number of locations/fields are selected). In the total 14 districts, a total of 1582 fields were surveyed in the three wheat production zones which corresponded to 4672 acres.

Crop growth stage and rust assessment

Wheat growth stage in each field was determined using growth stage key and plants were classified into different distinct development phases as described by Zadoks (1972). Yellow rust incidence was estimated following general procedure in the diagonal transects (Mercer and Ruddock, 2004) for each field. Disease incidence was assessed at three sites on each of the field transect by following the following formula:

Yellow rust severity from 1-100% of leaf tissue rusted was assessed as reported by Peterson et al. (1948). The severity was recorded four times per field and then converted into mean value.

Rust impact assessment

Field impact factor (FIF) for yellow rust of each field was quantified by adopting below mentioned procedure in an attempt to evaluate the relative damage of yellow rust in each surveyed region (http://library.ndsu.edu/tools/dspace/load/?file=/repository/bitstream/handle/10365/6159/farm_45_05_01.pdf?sequence=1).

Results and Discussion

Yellow rust surveillance results and the status of wheat cultivars deployed in each zone are described below.

Southeren zone

Over 500 wheat fields comprising an area of 1786 acres were inspected in Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Kohat. Yellow rust was prevalent in these five districts and incidence ranging from 6-25%, 26-40% and >60% were observed in 5%, 2% and <1% of the inspected fields, respectively (Table 1). Frequency of yellow rust severity classes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 were <1, 5, 2, 1, and <1 respectively (Table 2). In southern zone, 177 acres were affected by yellow rust which is about 10% of the total area surveyed. Maximum area of 115 acres was affected in D I Khan district which was 20% of the total inspected area in

southern zone. In the remaining districts, collectively it was 62 acres which was 18% of the total area (Table 1). Maximum field impact or damage of yellow rust was estimated at field scale in Bannu (FIF: 121) which was followed by Lakki Marwat (107), Bannu (45), Kohat (34.5) and Karak (6.25) (Table 1).

In this zone, different known and unknown wheat cultivars were deployed. Nine cultivars in Karak, 15 in Dera Ismail Khan 12 each in Bannu and Lakki Marwat and 13 in Kohat (Table 3) Prominent cultivars in Kohat (Pirsabak-2004 and Sehar-2006), Karak (Sehar-2006 and Bhakkhar-2002), Bannu (Siren-2010, Inqilab-91 and Sehar-2006), Laki Marwat (Bhakkhar-2002, Inqilab-91, Fakhar-e-Sarhad and Sehar-2006) and D.I. Khan (Hashim-08 and Sehar-2006) occupied 63, 71, 69, 78 and 72% of the area in each district, respectively.

Central zone

Surveillance of 743 wheat fields was carried in Mardan, Sawabi, Nowshara, Charsada and Peshawar which corresponded 2481 acres. Yellow rust was prevelent in these five districts and. incidence ranging from 6-25%, 26-40%, 42-60% and >60% were observed in 7%, 4%, 1% and <1% of the inspected fields, respectively (Table 1). Frequency of yellow rust severity classes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were <1, 3, 5, 3, and <1, respectively (Table 2). In the central zone, area of 153 acres was affected by yellow rust which is about 6% of the total area surveyed. Maximum area of 39.6 acres was affected in Nowshara district which was 10% of the total inspected area in the central zone which was followed by Mardan (31 acres equal to 10%),

Table 1: Yellow rust % incidence, wheat affected area and field impact factor (FIF) in the three zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during 2012.

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Sawabi (30 acres, 11%), Peshawar (28.5 acres, 7%) and Charsada (24.25 acres, 2%). Maximum field impact of yellow rust was estimated at Nowshara (FIF: 201) Sawabi (117), Peshawar (108), Charsada (90), and Mardan (42) in the central zone (Table 1).

In this zone, different known and unknown wheat cultivars were deployed. Five cultivars in Charsada, 6 in Mardan, 8 in Sawabi, 9 in Nowshara and 13 in Peshawar (Table 3). Prominent cultivars in Charsada (Sehar-2006), Mardan (Sehar-2006 and Fakher-e-Sarhad), Sawabi (Sehar-2006, Fakher-e-Sarhad and Atta Habib), Nowshara (Sehar-2006 and Pirsabak-2004) and in Peshawar (Sehar-2006) occupied 96, 68, 87, 91 and 70% of the area in each district, respectively.

Table 3: Cultivar based wheat cultivated landscape composition and spread in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during 2012.

In Swat, Manshera, Hari Pur and Abbotabad, 325 wheat fields were inspected having an area of 404 acres. Yellow rust was also prevelent in these four districts and the incidence ranging from 6-25%, 26-40%, 42-60% and >60% were observed in 11, 13, 8 and 9% of the inspected fields, respectively. (Table 1). Frequency of yellow rust severity classes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were 1, 9, 10, 2, 4 and 15%, respectively (Table 2). In the northeren zone, an area of 133 acres was affected by yellow rust which is about 33% of the total area surveyed. Maximum area of 81 acres was affected in Swat district which was 31% of the total inspected area in the northeren zone which was followed by Abbotabad (23.4 acres equal to 40%), Hari Pur (19.1 acres, 35%) and Manshera (10.1 acres, 34%). Maximum field impact of yellow rust was estimated for Abbotabad (FIF: 499) which was followed by Swat (417), Hari Pur (335) and Manshera (328) in the northeren zone (Table 1).

In this zone, different known and unknown wheat cultivars were deployed. Four cultivars were deployed in Manshera, 7 in Hari Pur, 8 in Abbottabad and ten in Swat (Table 3). Prominent cultivars in Manshera (Auqab-2000), Hari Pur (Sehar-2006, Atta Habib, Serin-2010 and Pirsabak-2005), Abbotabad (Atta Habib, Pirsabak-2005, Sehar-2006 and Bathoor-2008) and Swat (Sehar-2006, Pirsabak-2004, Pirsabak-2005 and Inqilab-91) occupied 75, 89, 81 and 88% of the area in each district, respectively.

Wheat rust surveillance is important to know about the distribution of wheat rust and status of resistance of already deployed cultivars in a particular region. Such information are fundamental to formulate and adopt suitable policies, investments and strategies for wheat protection, wheat breeding, and seed systems (Park et al., 2011). Wheat production sustainability needs deployment of rust resistant sources and withdrawal of existing wheat cultivars possessing defeated resistant genes. In northern Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), yellow rust is considered as the most important and serious disease affecting wheat production and resulted into heavy losses in the past (Bahri et al., 2011). This region is considered as center of diversity for yellow rust pathogen (Ali, 2012) where rust races carried virulences for Yr2, Yr6, Yr7, Yr8, Yr9, Yr10, Yr15, Yr27, Yr31, Yr32, YrA (Bahri et al., 2011; Ali, 2012; Ibrahim et al., 2015).Yellow rust occurrence and distribution was recorded low in the current surveillance during 2012 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Disease occurrence fluctuated between rainfed (southern), rainfall (central) and highly rainfall (northern) zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Similarly, low yellow rust occurrence was also reported from the region during 2012 compared to 2011 (Rattu et al., 2012). The main spring precipitation ranges from 1100 mm in the northern zone to as low as 100 mm in the southern zone during wheat season 2012 (Qaiser, 2012) while in the central zone, wheat is grown under irrigated conditions. Apart from moisture, other factors that may have contributed in less impact and distribution of yellow rust in southern zone could have been less dense stands due to low seeding rates, low humidity, and drought conditions during early growth stages, followed by high day temperatures which were also reported previously (Boshoff et al., 2002).

One of the prime reasons for low wheat productivity and instability is the unavailability and unawareness of good quality seed (Hameed, 2013). Old and undesirable susceptible wheat varieties like Inqilab-91, Bhakkar-2002, Zam-2004, and Sehar-2006 were still deployed in farmer’s field during the surveillance 2012. It is hoped that with the approval of Seed Act 2015 by the government of Pakistan, this act will provide an effective deterrence against the sale of fake and substandard seed (http://www.technologyreview.pk/state-seed-pakistan/). Sehar-2006 possessing undesirable susceptible Yr9 gene (Iqbal et al., 2016) was the major variety grown on maximum % covered area in all the three zones of KPK as recorded during 2012 surveillance. This variety was distributed by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) free of cost for sowing purpose among flood affected people during December 2010 through an emergency project “Livelihood Initiative for Flood-Affectees’ Empowerment” (Anonymous, 2011). Variety Sehar-2006 was thus cultivated on a large area of KPK in the three zones by chance as seeds of local varieties were damaged by the flood. During 2011-12 wheat season, farmers used their own seed of Sehar-2006 which was thus gown on the largest areas and resultantly emerged as major wheat variety grown in the province. Cultivars with effective yellow rust resistance genes have negligible deployment area which included Tatara possessing Yr3, Yr5, Yr26 genes (Iqbal et al., 2016; Afzal et al., 2010), Shafaq-2006 carrying Yr5, Yr10 (Iqbal et al., 2016), Pirsabak-2005 possessing Yr5, Yr26, Yr30 (Ejaz et al., 2012; Iqbal et al., 2016) and Saleem-2000 having Yr5, Yr18, Yr26, Yr30 (Iqbal et al., 2016; Ejaz et al., 2012). Seeds of these cultivars should be increased and deployed on priority bases for yellow rust management in the region.

Authors Contribution

Muhammad Ibrahim presented the basic idea, planned the experiments, analyzed data and wrote the manuscript. Syed Jawad Ahmad Shah and Shaukat Hussain helped in refinement of the basic idea, planning experiments and data analysis and critical editing of the mnauscript. Musharaf Ahmad and Farahtullah helped in experiment paln and data alanysis.

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