Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Evaluation of Selected Management Options against Ear Rot (Fusarium graminearum) Disease of Maize (Zea mays L.) in Ari Zone, South Ethiopia Regional State

Misgana Mitiku* and Yesuf Eshete

Maize (Zea mays L.) is world’s third most important cereal food crop next to wheat and rice. The crop is affected by a number of diseases that reduce both the quality and quantity of production. Mycotoxin contamination of maize grain (Zea mays L.) is a global threat to safety both for human food and animal feed. So the study was conducted to investigate the effect of crop rotation and maize stock removal from fields on the incidence and severity of maize ear rot disease. The experiment was conducted done at Jinka Agriculture Research Center experimental field. During experiment maize variety BH 140 (susceptible variety) and Haricot bean (Hawassa dume) varieties were rotated in three ways as following in three years: Maize+haricot bean+maize, Haricotbean+haricot bean+maize and Maize+maize +maize. Spacing between plant and rows was 30 × 75 cm respectively for maize whereas for common bean 10 × 40 cm was used between plant and rows respectively. The results of independent T-test indicated that there is no significant effect of the management practices such as crop residue management and crop rotation on yield, severity and incidence of ear rot on maize in the second and third year of experimental period. But, there was significant effect of management practices and crop rotation on the disease severity in the first year of the experimental period at (p<.05). So to reduce the effect ear rot disease on maize production we have to remove the previous maize stalk from the field because it reduces the inoculum source for the disease development. But, additional research has to be work to confirm this research output in the studied area and foe developing sound base management strategies for ear rot disease of maize in the studied area.

Published Date: 2025-09-11; Received Date: 2024-10-03