Identification of Rust Diseases on Wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Gombe State, North East Nigeria

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) production in Gombe State is largely confined to irrigated riverine areas and represents an important component of dry-season agricultural activity in the North East zone. Rust diseases, including stem rust, leaf rust, and stripe rust caused by Puccinia graminis, P. triticina, and P. striiformis respectively, are among the most damaging diseases in wheat globally. This undergraduate study investigated the occurrence and identity of rust diseases on wheat crops in three irrigation schemes in Gombe State during the 2023 and 2024 dry seasons. Wheat fields were visited at tillering, heading, and grain-filling stages for disease assessment and sample collection. Laboratory morphological examination of urediospores confirmed the presence of P. triticina (leaf rust) as the predominant rust species, with minor co-infections of P. graminis (stem rust). Stripe rust was not observed in any sampled field. Disease incidence for leaf rust reached 61 percent at the heading stage, with severity highest in plots where resistant variety recommendations were not followed. Farmers predominantly relied on mancozeb-based fungicides applied without reference to disease thresholds. The study recommends routine deployment of updated resistance gene pyramids in wheat cultivars, awareness campaigns on rust disease identification, and the development of region-specific spray calendars. Keywords: wheat, leaf rust, Puccinia triticina, Gombe State, rust disease.