Assessment of rice diseases and yield under system of rice intensification (SRI) in Morogoro, Tanzania
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Date
2015
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The overall objective of the study was to assess the status of rice diseases under system
of rice intensification (SRI) and farmer’s production system in Morogoro. A checklist
survey in nine farmer fields was done and later experiments at Sokoine University of
Agriculture, Crop Museum for two seasons. The experiment was laid down in a
randomized complete block design with 4 replications. The treatments were three
different types of spacing 25 cm x 25 cm for SRI, 20 cm x 20 cm for farmers practice
one (FP1), random spacing for farmers practice two (FP2). Rice leaf samples were tested
for presence of rice diseases pathogens using blotter method. Five rice diseases were
observed in the survey. Rice brown spot diseases (RBSD) occurred most frequently in
all locations while rice yellow mottle virus disease (RYMVD) was observed in seven
locations. Rice sheath blight diseases (RSBD) and rice blast diseases (RBD) were
recorded from four locations while rice bacterial leaf blight (RBLBD) in one location.
On the other hand three diseases (RYMVD, RSBD and RBSD) were observed in on-
station experiments, in all treatments for both seasons. The diseases incidence and
severity were significantly different (P<0.001) between rice growing stages. System of
rice intensification (SRI) plots appear to have high RYMVD incidence and severity than
in FP1 and FP2 while the incidence and severity of RSBD and RBSD were higher in
FP2 followed by FP1. The total yield were significantly higher for SRI than FP1 and
FP2 (P<0.01). Diseases, water for irrigation and poor rice diseases knowledge were the
main factors influencing yields in rice production. Adoption of SRI, farmer’s knowledge
on SRI and field management, research on identification and characterization of disease
pathogens and development of rice varieties which are resistant to diseases with
preferable characteristics required by farmers and consumers is recommended.
Description
Keywords
System of Rice Intensification, Morogoro, Rice diseases, Rice yield