• In rice fallows, symptoms appear on 4 weeks  old crop as raised white cankers at the base of the stem.
• These enlarge gradually and turn as raised brown streaks spreading upwards.
• Plants are stunted and leaves are dark green, mottled and reduced in size.
• Normal leaves on the affected plants drop suddenly and dry.
• Flowering and podding are greatly reduced.
• When the affected plants are split/open vertically from the collar downwards, reddish discolouration of the internal tissues is clearly visible while the internal root tissues appear white.
• The pathogen can survive through seed, soil, diseased plant parts and host plants.
• The severity of the disease increases with the increase in temperatures.
• Fungus survives in upper layers of the soil and enters plant through stem.

Management

• Deep ploughing in summer.
• Follow crop rotation
• Soil amendment with farm yard manure @ 12.5 tonnes/ha is helpful in reducing the incidence of the disease
• Destroy the diseased plant debris by burning of burying in the soil.
• Seed treatment with T. viride @4g/kg or P. fluorescens @ 10g/ kg of seed or Carbendazim or Thiram 2g/kg of seed.
• Spot drenching with Carbendazim 1g/lit or P. fluorescens / T. viride 2.5 kg/ha with 50 kg FYM.