Evaluation of Maize Genotypes against Banded Leaf and Sheath Blight Incited by Rhizoctonia solani f. sp. sasakii Exner (Cantharellales: Ceratobasidiaceae) Under Artificial Epiphytotic Conditions, India

Zea mays L. (Poales) is one of the most important cereal crops belongs to Poaceae family with very high potential for yield. Production of maize is hampered by a major constraint and devastating disease banded leaf and sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani f. sp. sasakii. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the maize genotypes under field conditions at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Karnal (India). A set of fifty seven genotypes (hybrids/inbred lines) were screened against banded leaf and sheath blight during kharif 2020 and 2021 under artificial epiphytotic conditions. The severity of banded leaf and sheath blight was recorded following 1-9 scale and genotypes evaluated categorized into four groups viz., resistant, moderately resistant, moderately susceptible and susceptible based on their disease reaction. Out of fifty seven genotypes screened against BLSB, eight inbred lines viz., HKI 161, HKI-163, HKI-193-2, HKI-288-2, HKI-295, HKI-488, HKI-1344 and HKI 1352 (58-9-2)-2 found resistant and seventeen maize inbred lines were moderately resistant, whereas two hybrids (HQPM-4 and HKI-1040-7 x HKI 659-3) showed resistant reaction and ten maize hybrids were moderately resistant. Thus, these resistant/ moderately resistant maize genotypes can be further use in maize breeding program to develop durable BLSB resistant varieties.