Microbe based bioformulation mediated management of sheath blight disease of rice

The current study was designed to assess an environmentally friendly management approach against sheath blight of rice caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Using two different microbe-based bioformulations Bioveer (a Talc-based formulation of T. viride), Biotime (a Talc-based formulation of M. anisopliae, P. fluorescens, and T. harzianum), along with a standard chemicals propiconacozole and hexaconazole as a check for management of the disease. When Bioveer was used as a seed treatment and foliar spray at 2%, the field evaluation of bioformulations revealed the lowest percentage of disease incidence (28.59%) and an increase in rice yield (4.23%). It was statistically comparable to the best chemical treatment, Propicoconazole. The rice leaves treated with Bioveer had noticeably higher total phenol content (22.97%).