Asian Journal of Research and Review in Agriculture

Barley is primarily regarded as a food crop in Ethiopia, ranking fifth after teff, maize, sorghum, and wheat. Ethiopia's barley production is low at 1.97 t/ha compared to the global average of 3.1 t/ha. Various biotic and abiotic stressors primarily contribute to the crop's declining productivity. Approximately 40 plant diseases affecting barley have been identified in Ethiopia. Among these, barley scald and net blotch foliar diseases are prevalent, reducing barley output globally, including in Ethiopia. A field experiment was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the Rescue 430SC fungicide against net blotch and leaf scald diseases in barley. The experiment's results indicated that fungicide-treated plots showed a significant difference compared to the control treatments across all variables. Evidence from the verification trial demonstrated that Rescue 430SC at a rate of 0.5 liters/ha mixed with 250 liters of water significantly managed barley net blotch and leaf scald at a 5% probability level, consequently increasing barley grain yield compared to the standard check (Natura 250 SC and Pajaro 420SC) and unsprayed checks in the tested locations. Based on the present investigation, it is concluded that Rescue 430SC was the most effective in minimizing barley net blotch and leaf scald across all experimental locations. During the growing periods, no foliar toxic effects were observed from any of the tested fungicides. Overall, results indicated that Rescue 430SC at a rate of 0.5 liters/ha with 250 liters of water was highly effective in controlling barley net blotch and leaf scald diseases. Therefore, it is recommended for registration to manage barley net blotch and leaf scald diseases.