Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
Seven herbicides were tested for their effect on growth of Pyricularia oryzae Cavara, Hypochnus sasakii Shirai, and Xanthomonas oryzae Uyeda & Ishiyama Dowson on agar media and for subsequent influence on disease intensity on rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) in the greenhouse. The herbicides studied were: propanil 3′,4′-dichloro-propionanilide), NTN 5$006 [O-(2-nitro-4-methylphenyl)-O-ethyl-N-isopropyl-phosphor-amidothioate], simetryn [2,4-bis(ethylamino)-6-)methylthio)-s-triazine], terbutryn [2-(tert-butylamino)-4-(ethylamino)-6-(methylthio)-s-triazine], nitrofen (2,4-dichlorophenyl-p-nitrophenyl ether), molinate (S-ethyl hexahydro-1H-azepine-1-carbothioate), and aglypt (4-amino-3-methylthio-6-phenyl-1,2,4-triazine-5-on). The growth of P. oryzae, H. sasakii and X. oryzae on culture media containing 10 μg/ml commercial formulation of propanil was reduced to approximately 50% of the control. The other herbicides tested were less effective. Differences in disease severity produced on rice plants treated with the previously mentioned herbicides were in agreement with the results obtained by the culture method. The effect of simetryn and nitrofen on disease severity was stronger than expected from the small direct action on the pathogen in culture. It is suggested that the influence of these two compounds on the disease intensity is due to their effect on the host plant rather than the pathogen directly. Propanil was effective only if applied immediately or up to 1 day before inoculation, indicating that this herbicide is degraded on or within the rice leaves.