Effect of integrated disease management practices on sheath blight of rice

Abstract

Sheath blight is one of the most important disease of rice causing up to 25% annual loss. Since there are no any varieties are resistant to this disease and management of the disease is only by use of chemical fungicide. These fungicides are hazards to environment and animals including human beings. These chemical molecules create problems in exporting of rice due to residual effect. Therefore integrated disease management is one of the alternative for better management of sheath blight. Three rice varieties viz. PB-1(susceptible), NDR359 (MR) and PA 6201(Hybrid) were used to evaluate the effect of Integrated disease management practices {seed treatment, use of FYM, cleaning of bunds and field, reduced (2/3) dose of Nitrogen with need based spray of fungicides} on disease severity of rice. Management practices adopted plot reduced the severity (25.42%) of sheath blight of rice and increase the grain yield (3662 kg/ha) as in non IDM adapted plots, disease severity was recorded (59.1%) with (2775 kg/ha) yield in susceptible variety Pusa Basmati-1.