A Reliable In Planta Inoculation and Antifungal Screening Protocol for Rhizoctonia solani-Induced Sheath Blight in...

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Agricultural Science
• Mycology

Background:

• Sheath blight, caused by *Rhizoctonia solani*, is a significant rice disease causing global yield losses.
• Conventional inoculation methods for rice sheath blight lack consistency and uniformity, hindering antifungal efficacy studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a reliable *in planta* inoculation protocol for *Rhizoctonia solani* in rice.
• To establish a platform for screening botanical antifungal compounds against rice sheath blight.

Main Methods:

• A novel protocol using mature sclerotia for *in planta* inoculation of *R. solani* at the internodal region of rice seedlings.
• Step-by-step procedures for rice cultivation, pathogen culturing, artificial inoculation, and post-infection assessment of antifungal treatments.
• Evaluation of botanical compounds, including *Ocimum gratissimum* essential oil and thymol, for their efficacy against sheath blight.

Main Results:

• The developed protocol ensures reproducible and uniform infection of rice plants with *R. solani*.
• Demonstrated successful post-inoculation screening of botanical agents against sheath blight under controlled conditions.
• Quantified lesion development and statistically analyzed the efficacy of tested antifungal treatments.

Conclusions:

• This protocol provides a robust and scalable method for *in planta* inoculation of rice sheath blight, improving antifungal screening reliability.
• Facilitates the evaluation of sustainable disease management strategies, including the use of botanical compounds.
• Offers a biologically relevant and controlled environment for studying rice-pathogen interactions and antifungal activity.