Integrated management of wheat Karnal bunt

Abstract

Abstract Management of Karnal bunt by cultural practices, chemical sprays and by breeding disease resistant varieties is described. The practices of polythene mulching and wheat straw burning after mechanical harvesting raised the soil temperature considerably. Polyethylene mulching enhanced the soil surface temperature to 54.5°C and straw burning raised the temperature of the soil surface, 5 cm and 10 cm depth of soil to 92.5°C, 67.0°C and 58.0°C respectively and were found to be lethal to the bunt spores enabling the soil to be disinfested from the bunt propagules. Tilt (propioconazole), Agrozim and Bavistin (carbendazim) and Bayleton (triadimefon) were effective fungicides against Karnal bunt. Some lines of wheat and allied genera (Aegilops) were found to be resistant to the bunt and this resistance can be manipulated for transferring into bread wheat.