Sheath rot

Caused by: Sarocladium oryzae
Problem Category: Fungal Disease
Symptoms: The disease appears on the uppermost leaf sheath. The spots are oblong to irregular with grey centre and brown margin. Severe infection causes poor exertion of panicles and poor grain setting. The yield sometimes is reduced to 75 per cent. The fungal disease affects the crop in mature stage during kharif season
Comments: High humidity and temperature between 17-20oC during flowering time favours the disease incidence
Management: Use resistant/tolerant varieties viz., Lalitagiri, Kharavela, Gajapati, Surendra, Swarna, Pratikshya, Mahanadi, Indravati, Jagabandhu, Ramachandi, Durga.
Control: 1. Destroy crop residues and stubbles of previous crop to eliminate source of inoculum. 2. Apply neem cake @ 2.5 quintal /ha. 3. Seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens or Bacillus subtilis reduces sheath rot severity by 20-42%, enhanced crop growth, and increased grain yield. 4. Soil application of Pseudomonas @ of 2.5 kg/ha after 30 days of transplanting mixed with 50 kg of FYM/Sand 5. Foliar spray at 0.2% concentration Bacillus subtilis commencing from 45 days after transplanting at 10 days interval for 3 times depending upon the intensity of disease.