Environmental Impact of The Use of Some Eco-friendly Natural Fungicides to Resist Rust Disease in Wheat

Abstract

Leaf rust disease of wheat, caused by Puccinia triticina, is one of the most severe fungal diseases on wheat leaves and it causes severe yield losses in Egypt. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of some eco-friendly materials like waste agriculture extracts in order to reduce uses of chemical fungicides and to maintain sustainable development. Three experiments were conducted in the Laboratory, Greenhouse and Field. Neem cake, orange peels and rice straw were used to obtain eco-friendlynaturalfungicides while Sumi-8 was used as a chemical fungicide and as a control. Three species from wheat cultivars, T.S.S, Morocco and Misr1 were used. Eco-friendlynaturalfungicides were applied as soak, foliar and applied together at the same time. Greenhouse and field experiments data showed that all natural extracts inhibited spore germination. Maximum inhibition reached to 100% by using neem cake and rice straw extracts followed with orange peels extract. In field experiments data showed that wheat yield was the highest using neem extract as soak + foliar application. The increase in wheat yield reached to 41.3% compared to Sumi-8 fungicide as healthy control. Also the results showed an increase in the percentage of carbohydrates, proteins, and wheat gluten, which is one of the main characteristics of the wheat quality. In conclusion these extracts can be used instead of chemical fungicide to cost effective, use safe and non-polluting environment.