Rice blast caused by Pyricularia grisea Sacc. is the important disease of rice and different fungicides against this disease were evaluated in summer 2014 at Karma Research and Development Center, Jyotinagar, Chitwan, Nepal. A susceptible rice cultivar ‘Mansuli’ was planted in randomized complete block design and fungicides viz. Tricyclazole  22% + Hexaconazole 3% SC (0.2%), Streptomycin 5% + Thiophanate Methyl 50% WP (0.15%), Prochloraz 25% EC (0.3%), Kasugamycin 2% WP (0.2%), Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68 % WP (0.2%) and Udaan (Hexaconazole 3% SC) (0.2%) were sprayed thrice at weekly interval starting from the booting stage. All these fungicides were found to be effective in controlling leaf and neck blast disease as compare to control one. Among them, Tricyclazole 22% + Hexaconazole 3% SC was found to be the most effective with least leaf blast severity (6.23%), neck blast incidence (8.97%), and highest percentage disease control (87.08% and 79.62% in leaf blast and neck blast respectively) and grain yield (4.23 t/ha) followed by Prochloraz 25% EC (0.3%) and Udaan (Hexaconazole 3% SC) (0.2%). It is therefore concluded that Tricyclazole 22% + Hexaconazole 3% SC fungicide could be used to control rice blast at weekly interval starting from the booting stage for three times. Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol 3(3): 474-478

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the major cereal crop of Nepal which is being faced by the devastating rice blast disease caused by Pyricularia oryzae Cavara. An experiment was conducted to screen rice genotypes against leaf blast disease under disease conducive upland nursery at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Khajura, Banke, Nepal during July to November, 2016. A total of 101 rice genotypes (comprising of local, improved and hybrid) including resistant and susceptible check were screened in a randomized complete block design with two replications. Disease scoring was done beginning from the 20th days of sowing by using the disease rating scale 0-9. Amongst the tested 101 rice genotypes, 28 genotypes were found resistant, 15 genotypes were moderately resistant, 16 genotypes were moderately susceptible, 39 genotypes were susceptible and 3 genotypes were highly susceptible to leaf blast. The information revealed from this study could be helpful for rice leaf blast disease management and utilizing these resistant and moderately resistant genotypes for further resistance breeding program.

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus oestratus) has outstanding flavor and taste with fan shaped pileus which is rich source of both macro and micro nutrients. It is of paramount importance to choose appropriate substrates in a given place to grow oyster mushroom successfully. The experiment was conducted at Bangaun, Lamahi, Dang, Nepal during 2018-19 to study the growth performance of oyster mushroom on locally available substrates as well as to find out the best substrate. The substrates used in the experiment were lentil straw, rice straw, wheat straw, maize stover, maize cob, along with the mix ratio of corn cob 1:3 with these substrates under factorial completely randomized design (CRD) design with four replications during winter season with an average daily temperature of 12-21°C and RH ranging from 80 to 90%. Among the tested substrate composition, significantly the lowest days (17.5 days) to complete spawn running was recorded on maize cob followed by lentil straw (22.5 days) while highest days (30.75 days) was required to complete spawn running on rice straw. The lowest time (25.50 days) for first fruiting initiation, the lowest time (33 days) for harvesting and the highest yield (2.47 kg) was revealed by lentil straw. The highest pileus diameter (6.81 cm) was recorded on wheat straw followed by rice and maize cob mix at 3:1 ratio (6.58 cm). Lentil straw was found the best substrate and rice straw mix with maize cob was more efficient as compared to rice straw only for the production of Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom.

Rhizome rot caused by Pythium spp and Fusarium spp is one of the most devastating diseases of ginger in most of the ginger growing areas of the Nepal. Realizing the context for development of alternative control strategies to reduce dependency on synthetic fungicides, a field experiment on management of rhizome rot disease of ginger using eco-friendly natural products was conducted at GRP, Kapurkot, Salyan during 2012/2013. Fresh and fermented extract of Artemesia vulgaris Linn (Titepati), Urtica dioica (Sisnoo), Zanthoxylumarmatum DC. (Timbur), Allium cepa L., (Onion), Allium sativum L. (Garlic), Capsicum annuum L. (Chili), Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacoo) along with Jeevatu (a mixed product of beneficial microbes) and biofit were tested in the experiment. Experiment was conducted in the naturally inoculated sick plot in RCB design with eight treatments replicated thrice. Each experimental plot area was 3m x1.5m (4.5m2). Observation on plant number, tiller clump-1, plant height, disease incidence, fresh rhizome yield, disease rhizome yield andmother rhizome yield were recorded and evaluated using statistical analysis tool MSTAT-C. Fresh rhizome yield for all the treatments were found lower than national average. Jeevatu (5%) treated plot had highest fresh rhizome yield (7.70 m t ha 1) followed by (onion+garlic+chili) + urine (1:3) fermented extract (4.88 mt ha 1). Similarly, rhizome rot scale (1.66), disease incidence (41.96%) and the diseased rhizome yield (0.74 mt ha 1) was shown least on jeevatu treated plot. Highest disease rhizome yield (2.37 mt ha 1) was obtained in the treatment titepati + urine (1:2) fermented extract followed by control(2.07 mt ha 1).

A study was done in 2018 to estimate the technical efficiency of potato production in mid western terai region of Nepal.30 households each from Dang, Banke and Bardiya districts were interviewed. Maximum likelihood estimate of the parameter showed the mean technical efficiency of 0.79 which indicated a high scope of increasing the production with the improvement of production technology. The coefficient for the parameter seed, Urea, DAP, MOP and labour were positive contributing for the production of potato. The parameter Compost, pesticides, herbicides and hour of tractor use were negative. The use of these input could be improved for increasing the production of potato. The farm specific variables Education, contact with the extension agent and farm size showed negative coefficient which causes less inefficiency of the farmers in production of potato while the coefficient for Age was estimated to be positive.