First report of rice blast disease (Pyricularia oryzae) on rice (Oryza sativa L.) in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract Rice blast disease is present in most rice-growing regions of the world and parts of Australia, however it was not previously known to occur in New South Wales. In February 2024, leaf symptoms characteristic of rice blast were observed on rice in a commercial field near Lismore in northern NSW. The pathogen was isolated and identified based on morphological and molecular features. Isolates were used to inoculate seedlings, resulting in disease symptoms under controlled growth conditions, and the pathogen was re-isolated from leaf lesions. This is the first confirmed report of rice blast disease on cultivated rice in New South Wales.