Rice is a major staple crop, with India ranking second in production after China. At each stage of cultivation, various diseases pose a threat to rice crops. Farmers employ numerous methods to safeguard their crops. However, some lack adequate knowledge, leading to neglect in crop care. Let’s explore when certain diseases typically occur in rice crops and the prevention methods.
Major Rice Diseases:
Common rice diseases include blast, sheath blight, leaf folder, stem borer, leaf folder, hopper, gross hopper, and armyworm. Timely intervention is crucial to prevent these diseases, as neglect can result in crop loss.
Sheath Blight Disease: This disease can affect rice plants from seedling to maturity. Symptoms include drying and yellowing of rice leaves from the margins to the middle. Whitish-gray tufts of mold appear along the leaf edges.
Treatment: Prepare a solution of 75 grams Agrimycin-100 and 550 grams copper oxychloride/blitox-50/copper hydroxide in 500 liters of water. Apply this mixture 3-4 times at a 10-day interval per hectare. Reduce nitrogen application if the disease occurs.
Khaira Disease: This disease causes yellowing of the lower leaves and the development of brown blotches on leaves. It also hampers plant growth.
Treatment: Apply 20 kilograms of zinc sulfate per hectare before planting. For prevention, spray a mixture of 5 kilograms of zinc sulfate and 2.5 kilograms of lime in 500-600 liters of water per hectare.
Sheath Rot Disease: Sheath rot disease manifests as dark spots resembling egg masses on the surface of rice plants, eventually leading to the rotting of tissues.
Prevention: Remove and destroy diseased plants immediately. Avoid excessive nitrogen and potassium application. Treat the field with 1 gram of Pseudomonas fluorescens or 4 grams of Trichoderma per kilogram of seeds before planting.
Blast Disease: Blast disease affects rice yield and quality. It can occur at any stage of plant growth. Early symptoms include greenish-yellow lesions on leaves, resembling burned areas.
Prevention: Minimize fertilizer use. Plant nurseries after rain. Time planting correctly.
Thrips Disease: Thrips disease primarily affects nurseries and rice crops. It prevents rice grains from filling properly.
Prevention: Spray the plant with a solution of potassium soap or pyrethrum. Apply 375 grams of emamectin benzoate per hectare in a 500-liter water solution.
Understanding these diseases and their prevention methods is crucial for successful rice cultivation.