Identification of donors for sheath blight resistance in wild species of rice

Abstract

Sheath blight disease of rice caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kiihn (teleomorph: Thanetophorus cucumeris) is one of the major production constraints in India, especially during the wet season. In general, the disease is more where rice is cultivated under high humid conditions and fertility production system [1]. Yield loss due to this disease may be as high as 50% under favourable conditions [2]. Strategies to manage this disease are limited to chemical control only, as donors with high level of resistance are not available. However, many workers have reported existence of partial resistance to this disease in cultivated species of Oryza [3-5]. Identification of donors and their utilization in breeding for sheath blight resistance from wild relatives of Oryza could be the possible alternative to overcome the problems [6-8]. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to search for donors for resistance to sheath blight in wild relatives of rice.