Biological control of sheath blight of rice

Abstract

The use of bio-control agent as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which are capable of suppressing or preventing the phytopathogen damage. Use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as bio control agents is gaining popularity in managing rice diseases and in enhancing growth and grain yields. Strains of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium have shown significant inhibition of Rhizoctonia solani. Evaluation of Bacillus subtilis for the management of rice sheath blight under field condition revealed that T0 (Bacillus subtilis ZB87-1/2, 25DAT @1.5gm/lit + Bacillus subtilis ZB87-1/2, 50DAT @2.5gm/lit)andT10 (Bacillus subtilis ZB87-1/2, 25DAT @2.5gm/lit + Bacillus subtilis ZB87-1/2, 50DAT @1.5gm/lit+Hexaconazole-5%EC 25DAT +Hexaconazole-5%EC 50DAT) was best treatment for the management of sheath blight disease which reduce 60.50 and 68.92% disease respectively over control and increase the grain yield.