Biological and cultural control strategies for rice blast (Pyricularia oryzae Cavara), sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn), and Tungro Virus in Southeast Asia

A natural balance among the many biological components of an ecosystem prevails. This balance, however, is very often completely disrupted by the manipulation of environmental conditions and cultural practices in agronomic situations. A diversity of microorganisms in an agricultural environment, once restored, can be suppressive or even preventive to diseases. Biological control has gained importance and significance in modern agriculture for pest and disease management. This approach, when correctly employed, is self-sustaining, efficient, and may be long term in action. The underlying principle of cultural control is the modification of management practices so that the environment becomes either less favorable for the pathogen or more favorable for the antagonistic microorganisms.;In this paper, integrated controls of the three rice diseases with biological control agents and cultural control practices are emphasized as alternative control strategies that may, in a long run, reduce chemical application. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).