Rice: tungro

Local name: Tungro roga

Rice tungro is one of the most destructive viral disease particularly in north eastern and eastern coastal regions of peninsular India. The word tungro means degenerated growth.

Period of occurrence : All stages of crop growth, starting from nursery

Vectors of virus particles :

The principal vector is Nephotettix virescens, other green leaf hoppers, N. nigropictus, N. parvus, N. malayanus and Recilia dorsalis also transmit the virus, but at a lower rate.

Alternate hosts: Grassy weeds, Eleusine indica, Echinochloa colonum, Echinochloa crusgalli, Ischaemum rogosum, Dactyloctenium aegyptium.     

Mode of transmission: Depends on the

• Availability of virus infected plants
• Insect vector population
• Susceptibility of the variety

Sources of inoculum: Stubbles of the infected plants from previous season and ratoon, grassy weeds. 

Damage symptoms:

• Severe stunting and reduction in the number of tillers.
• Affected leaves are often light yellow to orange yellow.
• Delayed flowering and panicle initiation is often incomplete.
• Infected panicles are small and sterile or only partially filled with discoloured grains.

                   

                Vector:Leaf hopper                  Tungro affected field view                Individual Seedling     

Management

Cultural practices:

• Use resistant varirteis IR-36/MTU-9002,1002,1003,1005,Vikramarya, Nidhi, Annapurna, Radha and Triveni. 
• Removal of diseased plants

Chemical control:

•  Nursery: Carbofuran 3 G (10 kg/ac),Phorate 10 G (5 kg/ac),Fipronil 0.4 G (10 kg/ac) and Isazophos 3 G (10 kg/ac) 

•  Main field: Monocrotophos 36 EC (400 ml/ac), Carbaryl 50 WP (600 g/ac), Fipronil 5 EC (400 ml/ac) (200 ml/ac) and  Ethofenprox 10 EC (200 ml/ac) 

Source: UASB, UASD, POP and DRR