Evaluation of bio inoculants fortified lignite fly ash against brown leaf spot and blast diseases of rice in Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu

Brown leaf spot and blast are the major diseases of rice in Tamil Nadu particularly in Cauvery delta region. The pot culture and field trial were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of consortia application of ecofriendly components viz., fortified lignite fly ash (LFA), Annamalai Mixture and antagonists against the brown leaf spot and blast diseases and yield parameters during the kuruvai season of 2016. Among the different combination of ecofriendly components, combined application of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis as seed treatment @ 10g/kg of seed, soil application @ 10 kg/ha at transplanting, foliar spray @ 10 kg/ha at tillering and boot leaf stages plus spraying Annamalai Mixture @ 20 lit/ha at tillering stage and application of fortified lignite fly ash @ 40 kg/ha at transplanting and foliar dust @ 30 kg/ha at boot leaf stage significantly reduced brown leaf spot disease severity 9.03, 11.01 and 12.78 per cent at 30, 45 and 60 DAT and blast disease severity of 10.32, 13.97 and 14.87 per cent at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, respectively. The same treatment recorded the maximum grain yield (32 g/plant) than all other treatments. All ecofriendly components treated plants significantly decrease the diseases incidence and increase the grain yield as compare to control.