ABSTRACT
Rice is one of the most important staple crops, second largest produced cereal, feeding more than half of the world’s population. Rice is subjected to important diseases which dramatically reduce crop yields up to 30%. Biotic factors that damages paddy crop are virus, bacteria, fungi, nematode, and insect pests. There are several methods of rice disease management but all existing methods have some limitations. RNA interference (RNAi)-induced gene silencing emerged as an effective tool to engineer resistant plants to different types of biotic stresses. This chapter emphasizes on different types of biotic factors that negatively affects the rice production. The available methods of biotic stress management are discussed along with their limitations. RNAi-mediated management of rice diseases has some advantages over existing disease management programs. This approach can also be used as a potential tool for disease management of other commercially important crops which are highly susceptible to various types of biotic stresses.
