SUPPRESSION OF WHEAT STRIP RUST DISEASE CAUSED BY PUCCINIA STRIIFORMIS F.SP. TRITICI BY ECO-FRIENDLY BIO-CONTROL AGENTS CORRELATED WITH YIELD IMPROVEMENT

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most vital crops to the humans in all over the world. Stripe rust disease incited by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici is the most damaging disease which poses a major threat to wheat production over large areas, causing great losses in both yield and grain quality. This research study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of seven fungal and bacterial bio agents i.e. Trichoderma harzianutn, T. viridi, Chaetomi'um glohosum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bacillus suhtilis, B. chitinosporus, and Pseudotnonas fluorescens in controlling wheat stripe rust disease under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions. Laboratory examination indicated that all treatments inhibited the germinations of urediniospore of P striiformis tritici compared to control. Under the greenhouse conditions, treatments with the bioagents, particularly B. suhtilis, B. chitinosporus and T. harzianum significantly reduced the disease severity, increased the activity of peroxidase, poly phenol oxidase enzymes and total phenol contents. Under field conditions, all treatments were effective against the stripe rust infection and significantly reduced the coefficient of infection (ACI) compared to the non-treated control. B. suhtilis and B. chitinosporus were the most effective bio-agents, which were very close to the fungicide Tilt. Also, wheat yield components were significantly increased by all the tested treatments. Based on their efficiency and eco-safety, we can recommend the use of the tested bio-agents in controlling stripe rust disease of wheat as an alternative to fungicides.