Suppression of sheath blight of rice by cow urine

Most rice growing countries are infested with Rhizoctonia solani, the causal agent of sheath blight. Although fungicides control the disease, they are not always economically or environmentally sustainable. Present activities to find alternatives that are safe to humans and environment. Utilization of cattle urine may provide an alternative for disease management. Studies were conducted to determine the stages of cow urine to control sheath blight of rice. Cow urine, bull urine, and bullock urine completely inhibit the growth of R. solani under in vitro. The toxicity of urine was not affected during storage. Urine sprayed at 200 liter ha super(-1) was found significantly reduced the disease severity and increases the grain yield under greenhouse and field conditions. Urine treated plants showed more number of fungal and bacterial populations. Species of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Streptomyces were identified in urine treated plants. Urine treated plants showed enhanced synthesis of phenol and activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, b-1,3-glucanase, and chitinase relative to control. Our in vitro tests demonstrated that cow urine contains ammonia and nitrous acid are highly toxic to R. solani and, therefore, at least partially responsible for pathogen inhibition in urine treated rice plants. Thus, cow urine has the potential to suppress R. solani through chemical and microbial agents.