ASSESSMENT OF RICE BLAST DISEASE INCIDENCE IN DIFFERENT RICE GROWING AREAS OF PUNJAB

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a vital staple food crop in Pakistan, second only to wheat. Rice blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae, is a highly destructive disease affecting rice cultivation. Various fine aromatic and coarse grain rice varieties, including PS-2, Kisan Basmati, Bas-2000, Super Basmati, Bas-515, KSK-434, KSK-133, IRRI-9, and PK-386, are grown across different regions of Punjab. A field survey was conducted across six major rice-growing districts of Punjab over two consecutive growing seasons (2019–2020). Blast-infected leaves and panicles were randomly collected from 30 locations within Bahawalnagar, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Sialkot, and Narowal. The collected samples were analyzed at the Plant Pathology Laboratory, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, where the pathogen was confirmed. In 2019, the highest leaf blast incidence (10.20%) was recorded at Khaira M. Ali Kaloka (Bahawalnagar), while the lowest (5.33%) was observed at Samundri Road (Faisalabad). In 2020, the highest leaf blast incidence reached 15.66% at Chor Chowk (Sialkot), with the lowest (6.80%) at Wakilwala (Sahiwal). For neck blast, the highest incidence in 2019 was 11.16% at Gopalpur (Sialkot), while the lowest (6.56%) was recorded at 369RB (Faisalabad). In 2020, the highest incidence (18.16%) occurred at Chor Chowk (Sialkot), with the lowest (7.93%) at Teenpullian (Faisalabad). Regarding disease severity, the highest value recorded in 2019 was 23.56% at Gopalpur (Sialkot), while the lowest was 9.86% at Samundri Road (Faisalabad). The most severe case in 2020 was 37.40% at Kundanpur (Sialkot), whereas the lowest (15.07%) was recorded at 93-9L (Sahiwal).