Bacterial blight of rice-reaction, screening & evaluation of genes

Bacterial blight is very destructive in different parts of the world. In the coming days the disease may become a matter of headache to the farmers of Eastern India including West Bengal. It is, in this backdrop, the present investigation was undertaken with the following objectives: 1) Survey and Collection of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae isolates from different locations. 2) Screening of near isogenic lines (NILs) for studying different genes for bacterial blight resistance against a number of isolates. 3) Pathotype characterization and Screening of differential lines using X oryzae pv. oryzae isolates. 4) Screening of rice germplasm in search of new resistant source(s). 5) Biochemical response of NILs on reaction with the virulent pathotype for studying rice-Xoo interaction. 6) Genetics of disease resistance in relation to isozyme analysis.The pathogen population, obtained from West Bengal has the ability to overcome the resistance afforded by single major genes, for bacterial blight, such as Xa3, Xa7, xa8, Xa10 and Xa14. Therefore, the deployment of a pyramid of R genes, is needed as one of the strategies for management.