ABSTRACT
48Blast disease caused by the fungus pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most severe diseases of rice. Many control procedures are used for the management of rice blast disease, but due to the instability of blast fungus, rice production remains threatened by blast disease. This chapter outlines the application of traditional and molecular approaches for the control of blast disease. Traditionally, chemical control method is most effective; however, the use of chemicals is not generally desired due to the serious environmental threat it poses in rice. Although biocontrol agents for blast have been successfully deployed to combat the disease in the laboratory, greenhouse, and fields, the feasibility of such strategies on a commercial scale still remains to be tested in the natural fields condition. For effective management of blast disease, breeding program should be focused on utilizing the broad spectrum of resistance genes and pyramiding of genes and quantitative trait loci. The availability of rice and M. oryzae genome sequence data is facilitating blast resistance management program to new paradigms which includes isolation and characterization of R and Avr genes. With the identification, isolation and characterization of blast resistance genes in rice, it is now possible to dissect the actual allelic variants of these genes within an array of rice cultivars via allele mining. In present chapter, role of molecular breeding, transgenics, and few new methods like miRNA in controlling rice blast disease is also discussed. All these update information will be helpful guidance for rice breeders to develop durable blast resistant rice variety through advanced molecular techniques.
