Plant Disease Research

Foot rot of rice or bakane disease commonly known as foolish seedling disease caused by the fungus Gibberella fujikuroi (Fusarium moniliforme synonym) has emerged in alarming proportions after introduction of basmati rice variety Pusa 1121 in Punjab. The infected seed is the most important source of primary inoculum. Fungicides like Amistar, Emisan, Bavistin and bioagents like Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens which were isolated from Punjab soils were tested individually and in different combinations under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The fungicides Bavistin (0.2%), Emisan (0.1%) and Amistar (0.1%) were found effective. The disease incidence in Bavistin (0.2%) 12 hr treated seed was 3.5% and 6.0% in nursery and field, respectively as compared to 14.5% and 24.5% in control. Further it was observed that seed treatment with Bavistin (0.2%) + seedling dip treatment in Bavistin (0.2%) resulted in 1.25% disease incidence and proved to be highly effective in checking the disease in the field. Seed treatment with Bavistin @ 0.05 g + Streptocycline 0.01g/lit of water for 12 hrs and smearing of the seed with talc formulation of T.harzianum @15g/kg of seed immediately before sowing and seedling root dip with T.harzianum @ 15g/litre of water was found to be most effective. Per cent foot rot incidence was least (10.0%) with maximum per cent disease control (84.8%) as compared to untreated control where disease incidence was recorded to be 66.0 per cent. Integration of T.harzianum with lower dose of Bavistin ensure the long term and ecofriendly protection of the crop from the disease. Application of Tilt 25 EC on the seed crop curtailed the seed borne inoculum of Fusarium moniliforme.The disease incidence was only 0.56% in Tilt treated plot as compared to 18.56% in control.