Evaluation of fungicides on Sclerotium oryzae, incitant of rice stem rot disease

Stem rot caused by Sclerotium oryzae is one of the major diseases of rice and aserious threat to rice production in in India. Stem rot of rice is difficult to manage due to its soil borne nature. Hence, in the present study efficacy of 15 fungicides were screened at three different concentrations. Against S. oryzae in vitro. Among them, Carbendazim, Propiconazole, Hexaconazole, Difenoconazole, Tebuconazole, Trifloxystrobin + Tebuconazole, Azoxystrobin, Isoprothiolane, Mancozeb + Carbendazim, Benomyl and Thiophanate-methyl completely (100%) inhibited the growth of S. oryzae at all concentrations. Chlorothalonil, Validamycin and thifluzamide varied in their inhibitory effect on S. oryzae at different concentrations. In present investigation, among all the chemicals tested, thifluzamide (0.04%) recorded least per cent inhibition.