Evaluation of different plant extracts in managing rice blast on basmati rice in Haryana

Rice is the most important staple food crop directly feeding more population than any other crop in the world. Rice is life line of Asian people. Rice crop is subjected to various biotic and abiotic stress which results in yield loss. The blast disease caused by Pyricularia oryzae Cavara is a major and foremost constraint in rice production. Field trials were conducted on the variety CSR 30 for the evaluation of different plant extracts against rice blast at Rice Research Station, Kaul (Kaithal) during Kharif season of 2021. Prior to field experiments plant extracts of aloe vera, neem leaves, garlic cloves, ginger rhizomes, datura leaves and botanical Achook were evaluated under in vitro condition against pathogen at different concentrations. The concentration which gave best result was used to evaluate under field condition. Application of Aloe vera (25%), Neem leaves (25%), Garlic cloves (5%), Ginger rhizomes (10%) Datura leaves (25%) and botanical Achook (4ml/l) to control the disease and their effect on paddy yield under field condition were studied. In this study Achook @4ml/l performed best with least percent disease index of 21.87% and neck blast incidence of 18.21% and had a protection value of 58.72% followed by Garlic @5% with percent disease index of 27.36% for leaf blast and neck blast incidence of 22.94% with protection value of 48%, as compared to control where percent disease index of 50.26% for leaf blast and neck blast incidence of 44.12% was recorded.