Occurrence of powdery mildew and septoria leaf blotch in wheat affected by nitrogen dose and foliar fertilization

Abstract

Modern wheat production increasingly relies on its additional nutrition through leaves, and numerous biostimulators and water-soluble fertilizers are used for foliar feeding. This kind of nutrition regime makes plants more resistant to pathogens. During its growth wheat is attacked by many pathogenic fungi. Septoria leaf blotch (Mycosphaerella graminicola) and powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) are the diseases occurring every year. This investigation was carried out with three wheat cultivars (Sosthene, Simonida and Evropa), during growing season 2018/2019, in the area of Gračanica municipality (K&M), on vertisol soil type. The trial was set in RCBD with four replications. The treatments were the following: 1) Control; 2) N50P90K90; 3) N100P90K90; 4) N150P90K90; 5) N100P90K90 + Agrostemin; 6) N100P90K90 + Murtonik; 7) N100P90K90 + Agrostemin + Murtonik. Occurrence and development of both diseases were observed, and attack intensity was graded during the first weeks of June, according to the standard scales for septoria leaf blotch and powdery mildew. Fertilization regime significantly affected occurrence and intensity of septoria leaf blotch. In cultivar Sosthene foliarly applied Agrostemin and Murtonik reduced the disease development. The treatments with those two supplements applied (N100P90K90 + Аgrostemin and N100P90K90 + Мurtonik) had the lowest infection intensity (5.0%). Powdery mildew was registered in all three studied cultivars, but not in all the treatments. Unlike septoria leaf blotch, powdery mildew occurred sporadically, and with low intensity.