NANO-SILVER AND NON-TRADITIONAL COMPOUNDS MITIGATE THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF NET BLOTCH DISEASE OF BARLEY IN CORRELATION WITH UP-REGULATION OF ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES

Abstract

Exogenous application of nano-silver, non-traditional compounds and fungicides were used to alleviate the harmful effect of net blotch disease in the highly susceptible Egyptian barley 'Giza 2000'caused by Pyrenophora teres L. The symptoms of net blotch disease were significantly dwindled as a result of foliar spray with fungicides such as Montero, Belize and Cabri Top. Application of Tilt, Vitavax, Nano-silver, Allicin and Benzothiadiazole (BTH) fungicides moderately controlled the effects of disease severity. While, fungicides Premis, Eugenol and Oxalic acid treatments did not reduce significantly the severity of net blotch disease. As a result of these treatments, the activities of antioxidant enzymes activity were increased significantly as compared with the untreated control plants. The tested treatments were effective, since the electrolyte leakage percentage of treated plants decreased significantly, while the yield attributes were increased significantly as compared with control. The maximum1000-grain weight (g), grain yield (kg ha(-1)) and biological yield (kg ha(-1)) were achieved with the application of fungicide 'Montero' followed by 'Belize'. Therefore, the novel findings of the present study may be supportive to farmers and plant breeders with non-traditional compounds and basic mechanisms to create new resistant barley cultivars, consequently, decreasing fungicides use and environmental pollution.