Evaluation of effectiveness of fungicides against sheath blight of Paddy

Seven commonly used fungicides viz. propiconazole 25 EC, hexaconazole 5 EC, copper oxychloride 77 WP, chlorothalonil 75 WP, carbendazim 75 WP, thifluzamide 24 SC and azoxystrobin 23 SC were evaluated for their effectiveness against sheath blight of paddy. Foliar spray was applied after appearance of symptoms. Among all the fungicides tested, propiconazole 25 EC and azoxystrobin 23 SC appeared to be best management tool and provided 58.9% and 58.3% reduction in sheath blight incidence, respectively, followed by thifluzamide 24 SC which caused 52 reduction in sheath blight disease. As far as prolonged effectiveness was concerned, copper oxychloride 77 WP proved to be effective for shortest time and in microplots receiving foliar spray by copper oxychloride disease started further spreading only after 10 days. Maximum prolonged effectiveness was recorded in case of foliar spray by propicanazole 25 EC which delayed disease spread up to 23 days, followed by thifluzamide 24 SC in which disease spread was delayed by 20 days after one foliar spray.