INOCULATION TECHNIQUES FOR SCREENING RICE CULTIVARS AGAINST BACTERIALLEAF STREAK DISEASE

Eight inoculation techniques, namely tooth brush hard, tooth brush med ium, tooth brush soft, coir rope, coir rope injury - spraying BS clipp ing method, foliar spray and iron scrapper, were evaluated for bacteri al leaf streak disease development of rice during three seasons (Aus 1 986, T. Aman 1986 and T. Amen 1994). Among the methods, tooth brush me dium is recommended for small scale and specific inoculation in evalua ting rice entries/cultivars against BLS in the greenhouse and coir rop e method is recommended for large scale inoculation in the field for s creening purpose. Iron scrapping method is effective but it is trouble some as well as tedious. Clipping method of inoculation completely fai led to cause any BLS infection.