Screening of aromatic rice genotypes for resistance against bacterial blight and neck blast diseases

A total of 30 aromatic rice genotypes were screened against bacterial blight (Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae) and neck blast (Pyricularia oryzae) diseases under artificial inoculation conditions, with screening against neck blast under natural hotspot location. Among these test genotypes, two genotypes viz., Bony Cay and Kalikhasa were found to be resistant and only one genotype namely IR 841-85-1-1-2 was moderately resistant against bacterial blight and thus can be used as donors in basmati breeding programme. However, most of the genotypes showed highly susceptible reaction to neck blast disease except Pusa Basmati 1637 and Tetep which was observed as moderately resistant and two genotypes viz., Kalikhasa and UPR-2828-7-1 were found as susceptible.