Evaluation of different inoculation technique against false smut of rice caused by Ustilaginoidea virens for creating epiphytotic conditions

Abstract

Rice false smut caused by Ustilaginoidea virens (Cke.) Tak. is a devastating disease all around the world including India. In India, this diseases causes an economic yield losses i.e., 0.5 to 49 per cent depending on the host variety. Among various inoculation methods adopted at different stages employing on Damini rice variety which showed that spraying of conidial suspension (2×10 5 spores ml -1 ) of U. virens at booting and late booting stage was ideal for infection with maximum infected tillers (41.54% and 37.82%) and smut balls (7.45 and 6.78) respectively.