Reaction of Rice Varieties to Rice Blast – An Insight into Understanding of Rice Resilience to Climate Induced Rice Diseases

Abstract

This study is aimed at identifying the reaction in rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties to loss in yield due to blast which is a climate induced rice disease. The experiment was carried out at hydromorphic fields of National Cereals Research Institute Badeggi, Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria in 2016. The treatments comprised of Ten rice varieties arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Data were collected on morpho-agronomic traits, 100 grain weight, harvested stool count, number of lesions, and diseases progression. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance using general linear model procedure of SAS 2008. Results of disease progression showed that FARO 19 and ART16-16-11-25-1-B-1-B-11 had lowest disease progression rate. The results showed no significant differences in grain yield. However, the grain yield showed a range of 4242kgha-1 – 1212kgha-1. FARO 19 and ART16-16-11-25-1-B-1-B-11 reactions to blast infestation showed that, they could be used to manage blast in endemic areas. It was concluded that all the varieties of rice can be cultivated with substantial level of yield production based on different levels of control measures. The study showed that differences in climatic environment, morpho-agronomic traits and plant nutrients content particularly silicon, phosphorus and nitrogen confer mechanism of resistance in rice varieties to blast disease infection.