Field Evaluation of the Efficacy of Fungicides and Rhizosphere Bacterial Antagonists against Rice Stem Rot Disease
Atla Ranga Rani *
Department of Plant Pathology, School of Agriculture, S. R. University, Warangal, India.
C. P. D. Rajan
Agricultural Research Station, Nellore, ANGRAU, Andhra Pradesh, India.
R. Sarada Jayalakshmi Devi
Agricultural Research Station, Nellore, ANGRAU, Andhra Pradesh, India.
V. Lakshmi Narayana Reddy
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, ANGRAU, Andhra Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Rice stem rot disease in paddy cultivation leads to reduction of yield. Management of this disease is difficult as it is soil borne. In the present study, field trials were conducted during Rabi 2016-17 and early Kharif 2017-18 to assess the effectiveness of twelve fungicides and four rhizosphere bacterial antagonistic isolates (RRB-1 to RRB-4) against rice stem rot disease. Disease incidence was recorded from the date of initial incidence of the disease i.e., once in 15 days from maximum tillering to panicle emergence. Pooled analysis reveals that Hexaconazole recorded lowest per cent disease index (32.22) with highest grain yield and straw yield of 7.43 t/ha and 7.22 t/ha respectively, followed by Difenoconazole with grain yield and straw yield of 7.29 t/ha and 6.88 t/ha respectively. On the other hand, bacterial antagonists using root dipping and foliar spray with RRB-4 showed less PDI of 32.92 with grain yield of 6.97 t/ha and straw yield of 6.61 t/ha. With this study, hexaconazole (0.2%) and bacterial antagonists RRB-4 using root dipping and foliar spray (105 to 106 CFU/ml) can be effectively managed the rice stem rot.
Keywords: Fungicides, bacterial antagonists, stem rot, rice