Reaction of some Small Grain Cereals to an Isolate of Take-all Fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis (Sacc.) var. tritici Walker

Reaction of some small grains such as wheat, barley, triticale, oat and rye were evaluated against an Iranian isolate (F-103) of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, the causal agent of take-all disease of wheat in the growth chamber and under greenhouse conditions. The experiments were preformed in a randomized complete design with five treatments and four replications. Root and foot infection, total dry weight and kernel weight were measured after 21 days in the growth chamber, and at tillering, flowering and ripening stages in the greenhouse. Results of this study showed that small grains were differed significantly (P=0.01) in root infection and other characteristics measured. All the small grains except oat were susceptible to Iranian isolate of take-all fungus. Wheat was the most susceptible. Barley and triticale were less susceptible than wheat. Reaction of triticale was similar to wheat rather than to rye both in the greenhouse and in the growth chamber, but at the flowering it was less susceptible than barley and was intermediate between wheat and rye in disease reaction. There were significant reduction in grain yield, plant height, total dry weight, and an increase in foot blackening of wheat, barley and triticale by take-all fungus. Rye was relatively resistant and its grain weight was not significantly reduced. Oat was evaluated as resistant to take-all disease of wheat.