Potential of Kaolin and Fulvic Acid Antitranspirant Substances in Suppressing Wheat Leaf Rust and Enhancing Crop Yield under Four Water Irrigation Regime Levels

Abstract

Wheat leaf rust caused by the pathogenic fungus, Puccinia triticina Eriks, is a serious threat to bread wheat production in many areas of the world. Kaolin and Fulvic acid antitranspirants were used to improve the performance of three wheat cultivars infected by leaf rust (P. triticina). The wheat cultivars were grown under four water irrigation regime levels during two successive grown seasons 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 at the Farm of Nubaria Research Station . Spraying Kaolin (Ka) at 6% and Fulvic acid (FA) at 0.06 before one week of inoculation decreased the percentage of final rust severity (FRS%), average coefficent of infection (ACI) and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) of the treated wheat cultivars compared to infected control. Moreover, foliar appliction of the two antitranspirants reduced the effect of water irrigation regime stress resulted in increasing yield production and yield components of the treated wheat cultivars compared to the infected control. Kaolin followed by Folvic acid recorded the best results in FRS%, ACI and AUDPC of infected wheat cultivars. These results were reflected a postive rsponse of Misr 1 and Sids12 wheat cultivars against leaf rust infection than Gemmmeiza 7. Interaction between the four irrigation regimes, two antitranspirants on the three wheat infected cultivars led to significant improvement in the reaction of cultivars which enhaced yield and yield components.