False smut      (Ustilaginoidea virens)

Introduction

This disease occurs when rice plant are at the  booting stage. High moisture & low temperature favours diseases development. High temperature  for the appearance of symptom.

Symptoms

•  Individual grain of the panicle into greenish spore ball.

•  Spore ball small at first, visible in between the glumes, slightly flattened, smooth and yellow.

• Membrane burst as a results of the  further growth and color of the ball becomes orange and  latter yellowish green or greenish black.

Management

• Spray or dust copper fungicide on the crop. I.e. Methyl parathion