Fungicidal rust control with the 16 important Indian wheat varieties has indicated that only a few of the recently bred varieties have recorded some improvement in their yielding abilities. The study has shown that rusts result in yield reductions on the average of about 17 per cent. Chemical rust control appears to offer some possibilities—at least as palliative measure, till highly rust-resistant varieties have been bred for a particular area. The study has also thrown useful light on the possible use of some of the Indian varieties as superior genetic stocks for some characters besides the scope for their further improvement.
