The status of the root, crown and foot rot disease in wheat growing areas of Cukurova region, determination of cultivar reactions, effect of some fertilization and fungicide applications on disease development

In this study, root, crown and foot rot diseases of winter wheat were examined and the possible Fusarium species, which have an important role in disease complex, were determined in wheat fields of Cukurova Region. In addition, the effect of different fertilization practices, fungicide treatments and cultivar reactions were investigated against Fusarium foot rot disease development that caused by F. culmorum. In two-year survey, all of the examined fields were found to be infested with the disease and the disease incidence and severity were ranged 8.0-100% and 2.0-33.4% respectively. F. culmorum, F. equiseti,F. oxysporum F. semitectum and F. verticilloides were isolated from infected plants and Fusarium was also found to be predominant genus among the fungal genera with the rate of 29.4%. No stable and considerable tolerance was observed in the 12 different wheat cultivars against the disease. In the pot experiments, disease development decreased when calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN, 26% N) or combined fertilizer (15.15.15 %, NPK) were preferred to 20.20.0 % NPK. On the other hand, disease severity was lower with ammonium nitrate (33% N) fertilized plants than that of urea (46% N) fertilized ones, as they applied twice on growing stages. The efficacy of seed treatment with raxil (tebuconazole) reached 47.8% and it was the most effective fungicide when compared the others. When plants sprayed (two times) with flamenco (fluquinconazole), folicur (tebuconazole) and duett (epoxyconazole + carbendazim), the disease severity was reduced by 96.3, 93.9 and 91% respectively. In the field experiment, no statistical difference has been found in fungicidal seed treatments but the combination in which the plants that fertilized CAN plus ammonium nitrate and sprayed with folicur gave the most successful results.