Status and management of banded leaf and sheath blight of Little Millet caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn with chemicals

Mean disease incidence and frequency of occurrence ranging from 6.9 to 18.8% and 26.1 to 75.4%, respectively were recorded during survey. Highest average BLSB incidence (13.7%) and disease frequency (61.1%) were recorded in the farmers field of Satna district, whereas lowest values were recorded at Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. Foliar spray of two non-conventional chemicals salicylic acid (SA) and sodium fluoride (SF) in 100, 150 and 200 ppm along with one fungicide Validamycin (0.2%) were evaluated against BLSB during 2012–13 and 2013–14. Lowest relative lesion height (19.0%) and highest grain yield (967.5 kg ha⁻¹) were recorded in the treatment of Validamycin. Average apparent infection rate varied 0.081 to 0.201%/day in all the treatments. Both the non-conventional chemicals were found to reduce the severity of the disease, infection rate and enhancing the grain yield possibly due to induction of resistance in host plant against the pathogen. Maximum reduction in relative lesion height (50.5%) and highest grain yield (937.5 kg ha⁻¹) was recorded in foliar spray of salicylic acid (200 ppm) followed by sodium fluoride (200 ppm).