Wheat rusts are a major problem for wheat production in Morocco, causing estimated losses of 30% or more. Yellow rust and leaf rust are prevalent diseases affecting both bread wheat and durum wheat. A broad disease management strategy is needed, including the use of resistant varieties. Studies on the effectiveness of different Yr resistance genes found that Yr1, Yr5, Yr10, Yr15 and YrSp conferred high levels of resistance under various conditions in Morocco. Workshops were held to raise awareness of rust threats and develop a contingency plan with preventive, predictive and reactive components.

1. Wheat rusts in Morocco :
Status and update on control strategies
Dr. RAMDANI Abdelhamid
INRA Meknès Morocco

4. Rural; 44
Urban; 56 Total population in Morocco 34.4 millions
(2008)
Source : CIA World Factbook

5. The economy of Morocco is based to a large extend on agricultural production that
contribute with 16 to 20% of GDP (Gross domestic product).
Cereals (wheats and barley) are among the major crops cultivated. They are
cultivated over more than 60% of the cropped land each year (around 6
millions hectares).
However
Yields of these crops remain low due to biotic and abiotic stresses. Crop losses
caused by pests of cereals are estimated at 30% or more. Some of these key
pests include: Rusts (Leaf & stripe), Septoria and Hessian fly on wheat.

6. Cereal production in Morocco during 2008-09 and 2009-10 cropping seasons
Source: ONICL
32
16
26
74
43
20
38
101
29
14
19
62
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Bread
wheat
Durum
wheat
Barley Total
Production(xMillionquintals)
2009-10
2008-09
Average 05-09

7. 45.1
144
25.1
3.6
217.8
52
121
3.5 0.5
177
0
50
100
150
200
250
Durum wheat Bread wheat Barley Maize Total
kg/year/capita
Rural Urban
Consumption of cereals in Morocco during 2000-01 (average 197.4)
(World average : 152 kg/year/capita)
Source: Direction des statistiques
Barley plays a major role in the drier areas,
where it not only supports livestock production,
but is also a major food source for the rural
populations.

8. 19.33
4.53
2.93
11.59
38.38
1.36
3.94
1.18
9.03
15.51
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Bread wheat Durum wheat Barley Maize Total
Import(xMillionquintals) 2007-08 2006-07
Moroccan imports of Cereal during 2006-07 and 2007-08
Source: ONICL

9. Importation par pays d'origine
Argentine;
14,60%
Canada;
11,60%
France;
19,90%Ukraine;
1,70%
USA;
30,10%
Autres;
22,10%

10. To address these problems of biotic stresses and to boost the food
security strategy, the development and implementation of a broad based
diseases management strategy is required.
This should be based on the increased use of resistant cultivars, and the
enhancement of the durability of resistance through appropriate gene
management systems, complemented by other control methods, such as
selective use of fungicides and cultural practices

11. Status of wheat rust diseases in Morocco

12. 0
20
40
60
80
100
SLD LR YR SR PM CB
Diseases
Prevalence(%)
Bread Wheat
Durum Wheat
2007-08
Prevalence of wheat diseases in Morocco during 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 cropping seasons
0
20
40
60
80
100
SLD LR YR
Diseases
Prevalence(%)
Bread Wheat (80 fields)
DurumWheat (44 fileds)
2008-09
0
20
40
60
80
100
SLD LR YR SR RR PM LS CB
Diseases
Prevalence(%)
Bread Wheat (53 fields)
DurumWheat (19 fileds)
2009-10

13. Prevalence of wheat diseases in Morocco during 2012-2013 growing season
SLD: Septoria-like diseases, LR: Leaf rust, YR: Yellow rust, SR: Stem rust, RR: Root rot, PM:
Powdery mildew, LS: Loose smut, CB: Common bunt; Ergot (Claviceps purpurea)

14. Prevalence of Bread wheat rust diseases in Morocco
during 2012-2013 cropping season
Bread Wheat (89 fields)

15. Area
Total inspected
fileds of Bread
wheat
Yellow rust severity (%)
0 Tr-5 10-20 30-40 50-60 >= 70
Abda 14 14
Doukkala 4 4
Gharb 9 4 1 3 1
M.Atlas 1 1
Pré-Rif 5 1 1 3
Saïs 26 2 4 3 2 5 10
Shaouia 2 1 1
Taza 9 1 3 1 4
Zaïr 14 3 4 2 5
Zemour 5 2 3
TOTAL 89 27 12 9 4 11 26
Range of Yellow rust severity on bread wheat in
Morocco during 2012-2013 cropping season

16. Area
Number of Bread wheat
fileds
Leaf rust
severity
Abda 2 20
Gharb 1 20
Saïs 1 30
1 20
Taza 1 50
2 15
The highest leaf rust severity scored on bread wheat
in Morocco during 2012-2013 cropping season

17. Prevalence of Durum wheat rust diseases in Morocco
during 2012-2013 cropping season
Durum Wheat (39 fields)

18. Area
Total
inspected
fileds
Leaf rust severity (%) Yellow rust severity (%)
0 Tr 5 10 15 20 30 50 80 0 Tr 5 10 15 30 40
Abda 9 2 5 1 1 9
Doukkala 4 3 1 4
Gharb 1 1 1
Pré-Rif 1 1 1
Saïs 5 2 1 1 1 4 1
Taza 6 1 2 1 2 5 1
Zaïr 11 1 5 2 2 1 3 4 1 1 1 1
Zemour
2
1 1 1 1
TOTAL
39 8 11 9 2 2 3 1 2 1 27 7 1 1 1 1 1
Range of Leaf rust and Yellow rust severities on durum
wheat in Morocco during 2012-2013 cropping season

19. Effectiveness of Yr genes

21. Effectiveness of Yr genes under Meknès conditions
during four consecutive growing seasons
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
*M
oroccoAvocetS
AvocetR
(Y
rA
)
*Jupateco
S
*Jupateco
R
(Yr18)
Yr1
Yr5
Yr6
Yr7
Yr8
Yr9
Yr10
Yr15
Yr17
Yr18
*Y
r24
*Y
r26
Yr27
*Y
r32
YrSp
Severity(%)
Mek05-06 Mek06-07 Mek07-08 Max 30% Mek08-09
* : Missing data for Morocco during 09 and for Jupateco, Yr24, Yr26 and Yr32 during 06, 07 and 08
The highly effective Yr genes were Yr 1, 5, 10, 15 and YrSp.

22. 0
20
40
60
80
100
M
orocco
AvocetSAvocetR
(YrA)
Yr1
Yr5
Yr6
Yr7
Yr8
Yr9
Yr10
Yr15
Yr17
Yr18
Yr27
YrSp
Yellowrustseverity(%)
Mek06-07 Mek07-08 Max 30% Douy06-07 YR (%)
Douy 07-08 YR (%) Max 80% Annoceur06-07YR (%) Annoceur07-08YR (%)
Effectiveness of Yr genes under Meknès, Douyet and Annoceur
conditions during 2006-07 and 2007-08 growing seasons

23. Effectiveness of Yr genes under Marchouch and Annoceur
conditions during 2009-10 growing season
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
A
vocet'S'A
vocet'R'M
orocco
Y
r1
Y
r2
Y
r5
Y
r6
Y
r7
Y
r8
Y
r9
Y
r10
Y
r15
Y
r17
Y
r18
Y
r21
Y
r25
Y
r27
Y
r28
Y
r29
Y
r31
Y
rSp
Severity(%)
Marchouch 2010 Annoceur 2010
The highly effective Yr genes were Yr 1, 5, 10, 15 and YrSp.

24. Effectiveness of Yr genes under Marchouch, Douyet and Meknès
conditions during 2011-12 and 2012-13 growing seasons
The strongest Yr gene during 2012-13 season was Yr15

25. Les maladies cryptogamiques des blés
Yellow (Stripe) rust (Puccinia striiformis)

29. What would be the effect of diseases on yield and its components mainly TKW
Afourar INRA experimental station
2009-2010

33. Photo RAMDANI
(Douyet 2008-09)

34. Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici) : A real threat

36. Fully aware of the magnitude of threat of the rust diseases to national cereal
production and in order to raise awareness of decision makers and all stakeholders
and to formulate and implement national strategies to prevent such threat, INRA-
Morocco with the financial and technical support of FAO organized three
workshops :
“Importance of rusts of wheat in Morocco and strategies for controlling and
preventing their losses”
“Wheat Rust Diseases Awareness and Contingency Planning”
“Contingency Plan for Management of Wheat Rust Diseases in Morocco”
These workshops were attended by representatives of key national research,
extension and production institutions involved in cereals, and of FAO and ICARDA.

40. Contingency plan
Preventive Predictive Reactive

43. Idiotype breeding
Biotic constraints
Abiotic constraints
Pests Diseases
Genetic of resistance Epidemiology
Host x Pathogen
Intraspecific variability
of the pathogen
Agronomic traits
Quality traits
IPM
Management
practices
Yield
potential/stability
Tolerance to Drought, heat, cold , ….
Figure : Interdisciplinary approach for an ideotype breeding

44. Many thanks to :
FAO