Impact of Integrated Disease Management Components on the Incidence of Bacterial Leaf Blight and Agronomic Traits of Rice under Field Conditions

Abstract

This field study assessed the efficacy of integrated treatments for enhancing rice plant growth and yield, focusing on the combined application of Bacillus subtilis and Calotropis procera leaf extract in fermented cow urine. Among nine treatments tested, the combination of B. subtilis at 10 ml/kg of seeds, seedling dip with B. subtilis at 10 ml/liter, and foliar spray with C. procera extract at 15% concentration at 30 and 45 days after transplanting (DAT) (T7) yielded the highest results in plant height (91.67 cm), number of tillers (24.98/plant), number of panicles (18.94/plant), grain yield (3.49 t/ha), and straw yield (4.29 t/ha). These results were statistically similar to those of a chemical check using streptomycin (100 ppm) as a foliar spray. Additionally, the combination treatment significantly reduced disease incidence, suggesting the antimicrobial properties of C. procera mixed with fermented cow urine played a role in controlling pathogens. C. procera, an omnipresent weed, coupled with cow urine’s natural antimicrobial activity, provided a cost-effective, eco-friendly solution. The study concludes that integrated disease management with biocontrol agents significantly improves rice growth, yield, and disease resistance, highlighting the effectiveness of combination treatments over individual ones.