title: Neck blast disease influences grain yield and quality traits of aromatic rice.
abstract: A critical investigation was conducted to find out the effect of neck blast disease on yield-contributing characters, and seed quality traits of aromatic rice in Bangladesh. Both healthy and neck-blast-infected panicles of three aromatic rice cultivars (high-yielding and local) were collected and investigated at Plant Pathology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur, Bangladesh. All of the tested varieties were highly susceptible to neck blast disease under natural conditions, though no leaf blast symptoms appear on leaves. Neck blast disease increased grain sterility percentages, reduced grain size, yield and quality traits of seeds. The degrees of yield and seed quality reduction depended on disease severity and variety's genetic make-up. Unfilled grains were the main source of seed-borne pathogen, especially for blast in the seed lot. Transmission of blast pathogen from neck (panicle base) to seed was very poor. These findings are important, especially concerning the seed certification programme in which seed lots are certified on the basis of field inspection. Finally, controlled experiments are needed to draw more critical conclusions.
authors.affiliation: Plant Pathology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh. Electronic address: ashikjp@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ashik Iqbal
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Plant Pathology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Rejwan
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bhuiyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali 8602, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Shahadat
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.affiliation: Training Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Partha Pratim
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Plant Pathology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Anjuman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ara
authors.affiliation: Genetic Resources and Seed Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Abubakar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Siddique
authors.affiliation: Plant Pathology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Ansar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D001459:Bangladesh; D063427:Food Quality; D012275:Oryza / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D055685:Pyricularia grisea; D036226:Seedlings / Q000382:microbiology; D012639:Seeds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000382:microbiology
keywords: Aromatic rice; Grain yield; Neck blast disease; Seed quality