Magnaporthe oryzae (anamorph: Pyricularia grisea) also known as rice blast fungus is an important plant pathogen isolated from rice and a variety of other rice field weeds. It affects all growth stages of the plant with severe damage during the seedling stage. This fungi generates spores that can easily be dispersed by wind and splashing rain. The spores can spend the Winter in rice grains and rice stubble and can infect new crops the following year. Infection is more likely over long periods of rain or high humidity. There are known strains of rice resistant to this disease that may be helpful for it control. Magnaporthe oryzae is the most important rice pathogen worldwide known to occur in 85 countries. Every year, the losses in crops due to rice blast could feed 60 million people.

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