In Vitro Evaluation of Different Fungicides and Bio-Agents against Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn Incitent of Sheath Blight of Rice

An experiment was conducted in which different fungicides viz., Mancozeb (0.2% and 0.3%), Thiophanate methyl (0.1% and 0.2%), Hexaconazole (0.1% and 0.2%), Propiconazole (0.1% and 0.2%), Difenconazole (0.1% and 0.2%), Flusilazole + Carbendazim (0.05% and 0.1%), Azoxystrobin (0.1% and 0.2%) and antibiotic Validamycin (0.1% and 0.2%) and bioagents were used under in vitro to check their efficacy against Rhizoctonia solani causing sheath blight of rice. All tested fungicides (Mancozeb, Hexaconazole, Propiconazole, Difenconazole, Azoxystrobin, and combination product of Flusilazole and Carbendazim) except Thiophanate methyl @ 0.1% and Validamycin @ 0.1% and 0.2% concentrations were equally effective (cent per cent inhibition) against the pathogen. All three bio-agents namely Trichoderma viride, Pseudomonas fluorescens and T. harzianum were also effective against the pathogen giving per cent mycelial inhibition of 88.00, 84.07 and 83.13%, respectively.