Efficacy of Natural Plant Products on the Control of Aggregate Sheath Spot of Rice

Aqueous extracts from ginger, pepper, basil, and garlic plants and essential oils from neem, garlic, lemongrass, and cinnamon were evaluated for their antagonistic effects against Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, the cause of aggregate sheath spot of rice. The compounds in 5% concentrations in water or agar were tested on several R. oryzae-sativae isolates. Cinnamon oil, the most efficacious plant product in vitro, was further tested in the greenhouse for the control of the disease on two rice cultivars inoculated with R. oryzae-sativae. One milliliter of each of four cinnamon oil concentrations (12.5, 37.5, 62.5, or 87.5%) diluted in vegetable oil was applied to the surface of the water in constantly flooded pots. Cinnamon oil failed to reduce the disease caused by one of the isolates at any concentration. Cinnamon oil suppressed the disease caused by the other isolate on one of the cultivars at a concentration of 37.5%, and on both cultivars at a concentration of 62.5 and 87.5%. However, cinnamon oil at 87.5% was phytotoxic. Cinnamon oil has potential to control aggregate sheath spot but relatively high concentrations were required for disease suppression.