Disease Overview –

1. Disease Name: False Smut
2. Causal Organism: Ustilaginoidea virens (fungus)
3. Affecting Stage: Flowering to maturity stage (affects grains)

Symptoms –

• Greenish spore balls develop on individual grains
• Yellowish-green velvety balls form, enlarge, and turn orange/yellowish-green
• Smut balls turn black at maturity (1 cm diameter)
• Partially filled grains, chaffy grains, or powdery fungal spores

Favorable Condition –

• High humidity (80% or more), intermittent rainfall during flowering
• Cloudy weather (25-30°C)
• Excessive nitrogen application, dense canopy
• Continuous rice cropping without rotation

Control Measures –

Cultural Control :

1. Use resistant varieties (IR-64, Pusa Basmati-1)
2. Balanced fertilization, avoid excessive nitrogen
3. Good drainage, avoid water stagnation
4. Crop rotation, remove infected panicles

Organic Control :

1. Trichoderma harzianum or Pseudomonas fluorescens (biological control)
2. Neem oil sprays (reduce fungal spore load)
3. Compost tea or cow urine-based bio-pesticides

Chemical Control :

1. Copper hydroxide 77% WP (Nordox)
2. Propiconazole 25% EC (Tilt)
3. Tebuconazole 25.9% EC (Folicur)
4. Hexaconazole 5% SC (Contaf)

Effective Management –

By adopting these control measures, False Smut can be effectively managed, protecting rice crops from yield and quality losses.