Rice blast
Caused by: Magnaporthe griseaProblem Category: Fungal Disease
Symptoms: Lesions on all parts of shoot; white to green or gray diamond-shaped lesions with dark green borders; death of leaf blades; black necrotic patches on culm; rotting panicles
Comments: Most important disease of rice worldwide; causes most damage in areas of intense cultivation; disease emergence favors high soil nitrogen content
Management: If disease is not endemic to the region, blast can be controlled by planting resistant rice varieties; avoid over-fertilizing crop with nitrogen as this increases the plant's susceptibility to the disease; utilize good water management to ensure plants do not suffer from drought stress; disease can be effectively controlled by the application of appropriate systemic fungicides, where available
Control: spray 10% cowurine in 10 days interval or tulasi kashyam 2ml/litre water to control blast