Rice sheath rot caused by Sarocladium oryzae is an emerging fungal disease that is spreading over rice growing areas in Konkan region of Maharashtra. Roving survey was carried out on farmer’s field in different districts of the Konkan region during the Kharif, 2021 and Kharif, 2022 to assess the disease incidence of sheath rot of rice. The disease was widespread in all the surveyed locations, with varying levels of incidence during both the years. In all, number of fields were surveyed from five districts where different rice varieties were grown by the farmers. Among villages surveyed, highest disease incidence (53.33 % and 51.51 %) was recorded in Pavas village from Ratnagiri district and the lowest disease incidence (6.25 % and 5.71 %) was recorded in Lohare village from Raigad district during Kharif, 2021 and Kharif, 2022, respectively. Diseased samples were collected during the survey from various locations and twenty isolates of Sarocladium oryzae causing sheath rot were isolated. All twenty isolates of S. oryzae exhibited a wide range of pathogenic variability. Among the twenty isolates of S. oryzae, isolate So2 exhibited minimum incubation period (5 days), maximum lesion length (28.55 mm) and highest per cent disease severity (39.81 %) followed by So12 (6 days, 27.10 mm and 36.10 %) while maximum incubation period was observed in isolate So7 (13 days) and So8 (13 days), least lesion length and per cent disease severity was observed in isolate So7 (20.65 mm and 12.03 %), respectively.

Sarocladium oryzae, Rice, Disease Incidence

Conducting roving survey is very much important to know the extent of disease causing in a particular area. On the basis of this study, it is concluded that, sheath rot of rice which is considered as a minor disease is going to be one of the major disease of rice in Konkan region over the time. S. oryzae possesses wide range of variation with respect to morphological, cultural and pathogenic behaviour. Isolate So2 was found to be most virulent with minimum incubation period (5 days), maximum lesion length (28.55 mm) and highest per cent disease severity (39.81 %).

Sahane P.A., Pushpa Patil, Gadhave A.D., Rite S.C. and Pawar H.D. (2023). Prevalence of Sheath Rot of Rice caused by Sarocladium oryzae in Konkan Region and its Pathogenic variability. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 591-598.