*2.1.2 Identification symptoms*

The disease is very important emerging problem caused by a number of pathogens. Among them, *Sarocladium oryzae* is the major fungal pathogen. The initial symptoms start as discoloration of the flag leaf. Rotting occurs on the on the leaf sheath which encloses young panicle. Irregular lesions on leaf sheath which are having gray centre with reddish brown margin. The lesions coalesce each other and covers entire sheath. Under severe infestation, the developing grains also infected and turn to dirty discolored having white fungal mass. The grains ultimately rot and gets chaffy. The panicle will not emerge out of sheath. The plants may stunt and dies prematurely [22]. The disease symptoms are provided in **Figures 1**–**4**.
