Eco-friendly management of brown spot disease of rice by the application of essential oils in Bihar

Abstract

Brown spot of rice caused by Bipolaris oryzae (Cochliobolus miyabeanus), is worldwide occurrence and is known to cause substantial quantitative and qualitative losses in grain yield. The field experiment was performed during the year 2019-20 in kharif season at Bihar Agricultural University research farm, Sabour. The present investigation was done to assess the effect of essential oil against Brown spot disease of rice. All the essential oils are significantly reduced the disease infection. The minimum percent of disease incidence and disease severity were recorded in case citronella oil @ 2 ml/l (11.37% and 15.85%) which was found at par with lemon Grass oil with (13.39% and 18.81). The highest yield was recorded (62.00 q/ha) in case citronella oil @ 2 ml/l which was at par with lemon Grass oil @ 2 ml/l (60.33 q/ha) as comparison to control (39.83 q/ha). The minimum number of infected tiller was recorded in case citronella oil @ 2 ml/l was 33.00. The maximum percent of decrease disease severity and increase yield over control were recorded 55.65% and 66.04% in citronella Oil @ 2 ml/l. This work concluded that the two essential oil i.e., Citronella oil and lemon Grass oil @ 2 ml/l could have potential as control agents against brown spot disease of rice. The fungicides used in disease management are expensive for resource-poor farmers and may negatively correlation with ecosystems. Therefore, natural essential oil is significant sources of new agrochemicals with large antimicrobial spectrum properties for the control of brown spot disease.