Evaluation of fungicides against false smut of rice in Ballia district of Eastern U.P.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the most important food crop of the world. Among the biotic stresses, false smut is an emerging disease caused by Ustilaginoidea virens. Very few rice cultivars have moderate level of resistance and majority of the commercially cultivated varieties do not show any resistance to false smut. A field experiment to evaluate fungicides against false smut disease of rice in Ballia district of Eastern Uttar Pradesh was conducted during Kharif 2023 at technical park of KVK and Farmer field condition. Experiment was laid in a randomized block design with seven treatments and four replications. Among the different tested fungicides azoxystrobin (18.2%) + difenconozole (11.4%) SC was found most effective in controlling false smut disease with less infected tillers, infected grains and also give highest yield in comparison to other treatments followed by propiconazole (25% EC), tebuconazole (250% EC), Hexaconazole (5% SC), thiaflumide (24% SC) and carbendazim (50% W.P.).