Efficacy of Fungicides for the Management of Rice Sheath Rot, Sarocladium oryzae (Sawada)

Bioefficacy tests of fungicides in the laboratory against sheath rot of rice revealed that benomyl and carbendazim among systemic fungicides and copper oxychloride and mercury fungicide among non-systemics were found effective at all the three concentrations. In in vivo trials, mancozeb @ 0.2%, carbendazim 0.1% and propiconazole @ 0.1% were found superior to the other fungicides with respect to disease intensity (PDI), 1000 grain weight, grain and straw yield, and per cent healthy grain. It was concluded that three sprays, at 15 days interval, starting from panicle initiation, can effectively manage the sheath rot of rice and grain discoloration.