Effect of foliar-applied potassium chloride on septoria leaf blotch of winter wheat

The effect of foliar-applied potassium chloride on Septoria tritici, the anamorph of Mycosphaerella graminicola, was quantified and possible modes of action investigated during controlled-environment and field experiments. A field experiment in harvest year 1997 showed c. 50% reduction in the area of leaf 2 of winter wheat plants affected by septoria leaf blotch after foliar application of potassium chloride, compared with untreated controls. Similarly, in harvest year 1998 potassium chloride reduced, by about one-third, the area of the flag and penultimate leaf affected by S. tritici. However, a significant yield increase was not observed, although grains m(-2) did show an increase of borderline significance. Applications of epoxiconazole reduced the area of leaf 4 affected by S. tritici compared with untreated controls, whereas applications of chlorothalonil, potassium chloride or polyethylene glycol proved ineffective against disease development. This may suggest that potassium chloride is relatively immobile and possesses contact activity similar to that of chlorothalonil. In 1998, similar reductions in leaf area affected were observed with the inert osmoticum polyethylene glycol in the field, suggesting that the control provided by potassium chloride may be achieved by adverse osmotic effects on the pathogen. Scanning electron microscopy of germinating conidia on wheat plants showed inhibition of conidial germination by both potassium chloride and polyethylene glycol at the same calculated osmotic potential on the leaf surface.