Negash Hailu, Chemeda Fininsa, Tamado Tana and Girma Mamo
Common bacterial blight (CBB) caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli is the most important biotic production constraint to common bean in eastern Ethiopia. Climate change could have an impact on the disease epidemiology by influencing both common bean growth and the pathogen reproduction. The effects of climate change needs to be mitigated using climate change resilience strategies. Field experiments were conducted in the 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons at Haramaya and Babile research stations in eastern Ethiopia to assess the effects of integrating climate change resilience strategies on CBB of common bean. Gofta (G2816) and Mexican 142(11239) common bean varieties were used. Eight climate change resilience strategies used were compost application, row intercropping and furrow planting alone and in combination. Factorial combinations of two common bean varieties and eight climate change resilience strategies totally 16 treatment combinations were studied in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and repeated once. Disease severity data were recorded from 10 randomly tagged plants from four central rows per plot. Disease severity, area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) and disease progress rate were significantly different among climate change resilience strategies, between varieties, cropping seasons and locations. Disease severities, AUDPC and disease progress rate were consistently less on row intercropping + compost application + furrow planting and row intercropping + compost application compared to singly applied climate change resilience strategies and sole planting plots in both locations and seasons. The disease epidemic was relatively higher on Mexican 142 than Gofta and during 2012 than 2013 at Babile than Haramaya. Integrated climate resilience strategies reduced CBB epidsemic and could be applied as a component in management of CBB in eastern Ethiopia and in areas with similar agro-ecological zones.