Naju City Urges Prevention of Damage from Rice Panicle Blast and Other Diseases

Published 20 Aug.2021 16:10(KST)

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] The city of Naju in Jeollanam-do has urged frequent monitoring and control to prevent ‘panicle diseases’ that occur due to hot and humid conditions during the rice panicle emergence period.

According to the Naju Agricultural Technology Center on the 20th, in recent years, high temperatures have been maintained day and night from mid-last month to mid this month, which is the period when rice panicles emerge.

Moreover, the high humidity and frequent rain create an environment favorable for the occurrence and spread of panicle diseases, making prior prevention crucial.

Types of rice panicle diseases include ‘bacterial grain rot’, ‘panicle blast’, and ‘panicle blight’, all of which commonly occur in humid environments.

Bacterial grain rot initially causes the lower part of the rice grain to turn brown, halting growth, and eventually the entire grain turns brown, resulting in empty grains.

Damage occurs due to abnormal high temperatures and rainfall, but since there are no resistant varieties, special attention must be paid to monitoring and control.

Panicle blast occurs when temperatures are maintained between 25~35℃ until the panicle emerges and matures, combined with insufficient sunlight and frequent rain. In the early stages, a yellow-green color appears on the surface of the rice grains, which can be visually identified.

As time passes, the rice husks slightly open, revealing yellow-green protrusions (fungi), which gradually turn black.

Since the infection invades through the rice grains, it is important to use healthy seeds from fields without outbreaks. In fields where the disease has occurred, affected panicles should be removed, and seeds from infected fields should preferably not be used for planting.

Panicle blight occurs when low temperatures and frequent rain persist during the panicle emergence and maturation period, and rapid abnormal cold spells should be watched for. Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer worsens the disease.

When infected, the panicle neck and branches dry out, turn brown, and become empty grains.

Leaf blast lesions formed mainly on upper leaves are the primary source of infection, so control is especially important in fields where leaf blast has occurred.

An official from the Agricultural Technology Center said, “If rice panicle diseases occur, they seriously affect yield and quality,” and added, “As abnormal high temperatures and humid conditions continue, we hope farmers conduct prior monitoring and timely control to prevent and block the spread of panicle diseases.”