Abstract

Aim: The survey aimed to collect unusual tef disease samples observed in the field and report the newly recorded disease.

Materials and Methods: The samples from diseased tef varieties were collected and observed under a microscope directly without culturing because the pathogen is obligate.

Results: The smut spore cells with slightly circular shapes were observed and identified. The smut species of tef can attack the organ of the tef productive part before heading of the crop. On the infected part of the tef swelled filled with teliospores were observed. The disease was observed on Quncho, Magna, and Boset at Southern Nation nationality of People around Alaba zone and West Arsi Zone around Negelle Arsi and Shashemene (Oromia) in Ethiopia. The diagnosis was easily confirmed by planting imbibed and un imbibed Quncho variety in the greenhouse. On the imbibed tef with teliospores of smut gives some symptoms observed in the field and nothing observed in the unimbibed tef variety Quncho.

Conclusion: It was concluded that species-level identification of this pathogen, evaluation of tef genotypes against this disease and host range identification may future work of the pathogen.

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