The Blast: A Major Malady in Nutricereals in Southeast Asia

Seven sister millets are small-seeded hardy crops grown in all most all states of India. They are cultivated majorly in rainfed conditions and are highly nutritious. In spite of the fact that small millets are known to withstand biotic or abiotic stresses, under vulnerable conditions they are prone to diseases causing heavy losses. Among the diseases blast disease caused by Pyricularia spp. is known to occur annually during rainy season and is considered as one of the major disease-causing yield losses in all major small millet-growing states of India. Use of resistant varieties, biocontrol agents and fungicides has been found effective in managing blast disease.