Losses caused due to leaf blight disease in the grain yield of irrigated wheat

A field trial was conducted during 1995–96 and 1996–97 to ascertain the losses caused due to leaf blight disease in the grain yield of irrigated wheat. A susceptible variety ‘Vijay’ was sown in the trial. The artificial inoculations of mass culture of Alternaria triticina was done in the inoculated plots at 20 DAS, 30 DAS, and 40 DAS to create the desirable level of disease pressure of leaf blight. The un-inoculated plots (control) were sprayed with Mancozeb 75 WP (0.25%) to check the leaf blight disease. It revealed that inoculated plots showed highest intensity of leaf blight disease within the range of 58.42 to 64.91 per cent and gave significant reduction in the yields in the range of 19.95 to 39.32 per cent and also reduction in 1000 grain weight Le. 6.80 to 17.08 per cent, as compared to un-inoculated plots of Vijay.