• Blast is the most severe disease in upland rice.
• On leaves, the fungus produces dark brown spots, elongated
and pointed at each end, and lesions with greyish centers.
• An infected panicle base turns dark brown, and the stem
usually breaks just below the panicle.
• Infected nodes turn blackish and break easily.
• A high amount of nitrogen, cloudy skies, and frequent rains favor the disease.
• Planting resistant varieties is the most economical and
practical way of controlling blast.