Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: Jan.-March | Volume: 1 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 21-25
Survey and Identification of Diseases on Major Crops of Assosa and Kamashi Zones, Ethiopia
Minyahil Kebede, Assefa Gidesa
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research; Assosa Agricultural Research Centre, Assosa, Ethiopia.
Corresponding Author: Assefa Gidesa
ABSTRACT
A survey was conducted in major crops of Assosa and Kamashi zones of Benishangul Gumuz Regional State during 2015 cropping season with an aim of identifying problematic diseases and providing baseline information on diseases of major crops in the study area. Disease assessments of major crops in both zones (except for Maize and Sorghum fields) were conducted by using 1m x 1m quadrate laid along diagonal of the fields. While, in Sorghum and Maize fields five plants per spot were randomly chosen along diagonal of the field for inspection. Moreover, plants with in the quadrants and/or the chosen plants per spots were thoroughly examined from base to the apex for diseases incidence and severity. A total of 63 farmers field were enclosed by this survey. It was founded that about 22 diseases of major crops of the study area were recorded from the field crops of the area. The result of this survey showed, major diseases of major field crops of Assosa and Kamashi zones in order of their importance were: 1) Colletotrichum sublineolum of Sorghum, 2) Xanthomonas campestris pv. sesami of Sesame, 3) Mycosphaerella graminicola of Soybean, 4) Brown spot of Finger millet, 5) Exserohilum turcicum of Maize, 6) Maize Streak Virus of Maize, 7) Cercospora sorghi of Sorghum, 8) Magnaporthe grisea of Finger millet and 9) Fusarium wilt of Hot pepper; respectively each with a magnitude of percentage disease severity index of 46.3, 42.58, 38.27, 38.10, 37.78, 37.33, 35.53, 34.13 and 31.48. Therefore, any intervention including direct research toward creating new or adopting an integrated disease management options must focus on those prioritized major diseases of the area; to have higher, good and quality agricultural produces. In addition, regular disease survey and/or surveillance must be conducted to identify possible challenging diseases of major field crops in the study area.
Key words:Diseases, major crops, disease severity, disease incidence and disease severity index.
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