Rice
Brown Spot of Rice
Cochliobolus miyabeanus
Fungus
In a Nutshell
- Circular, brown necrotic spots on young leaves.
- Reddish margins on mature plants.
- Yellowing and wilting of stems and leaves.
Can also be found in
Rice
Symptoms
This disease is characterized by a wide range of symptoms. However, the presence of circular or oval brown spots with a yellow halo during the tillering stage is the most visible sign of the infection. As they enlarge, a gray center develops in the middle of these spots and a reddish-brown margin becomes visible. Stems also become discolored. On susceptible varieties, lesions may reach a length of 5-14 mm and can cause leaves to wilt. On resistant varieties, the lesions are yellow-brown and pinhead-sized. The infection of florets leads to incomplete or disrupted grain filling and a reduction in grain quality.
Recommendations
Organic Control
To be sure that the seeds are not contaminated, a seed bath in hot water (53-54°C) for 10 to 12 minutes is recommended. To improve the results, place the seeds for 8 hours in cold water before the hot water treatment.
Chemical Control
Always consider an integrated approach with both preventive measures and biological treatments if available. The best way to prevent the disease is to use fungicides (e.g., iprodione, propiconazole, azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin) as seed treatments.
What caused it?
The symptoms are caused by the fungus, Cochliobolus miyabeanus. It can survive in seeds for more than four years and spread from plant to plant through airborne spores. Infected plant debris left in the field and weeds are other common ways to spread the disease. Brown spots can occur at all crop stages, but the infection is most critical from maximum tillering to ripening stages. The disease often occurs in fields with mismanagement of soil fertility, mainly in terms of micronutrients. Significant control of brown spot has been achieved using silicon fertilizers. The use of a mixture of cattle manure and chemical fertilizers somewhat also reduces its severity. High humidity (86-100%), prolonged periods of leaf moisture and high temperatures (16-36°C) are very favorable for the fungi.
Preventive Measures
- For soils that are low in silicon, apply calcium silicate slag before planting.
- Use resistant varieties, if available.
- Acquire your seeds from certified sources if possible.
- Ensure a balanced nutrient supply and monitor soil nutrients regularly.
- Monitor fields for signs of the disease from the tillering stage.
- Control and remove weeds in and around your field.
- Remove and destroy infected plants, by burning them after the harvest.
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