Damage to soybean caused by downy mildew

ABSTRACT:

Downy mildew is widespread throughout the world. However, the damage that it causes has not been studied in Brazil yet. The objective of this work was to evaluate which components of soybean yield are affected by downy mildew and to determine the coefficient of damage. Two field experiments were conducted in Castro (2006/07) and Ponta Grossa (2007/08) in the state of Parana, Brazil. The experimental design consisted of completely randomized blocks of (i) six treatments and five replications for the 2006/07 and (ii) eight treatments and four replications for the 2007/08 field experiments. Potassium phosphite (750g a.i. ha^-1), propamocarb + fenamidone (900g a.i. ha^-1) and mancozeb (2400g a.i. ha^-1) were applied. In all of the treatments, the maximum severity of downy mildew infection occurred at growth stage R5.3, and the percentage of severity ranged between 0 and 43%. The disease gradient was obtained only on the second season. Equations of damage were generated for the yield and grain weight. The number of grains per pod and the number of pods per plant were not affected by downy mildew but, the weight of 1000 seeds per plant was reduced linearly with increasing of mildew severity.

Key words:
Peronospora manshurica; Glycine max; oospore