Sahni, SangitaS, RAHUL2023-10-272023-10-272022M/PP/054/2020-21https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810199798Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.) is an essential reliable climate tolerant small seeded crop grown by tribal and poor farmers in adverse agro climatic conditions in the arid areas of Africa and South Asia. After sorghum and pearl millet, it is the third important crop in India. The present study was undertaken with an aim to find out resistant genotypes/germplasms of finger millet to Pyricularia grisea causing blast disease under natural epiphytotic condition, and to explore different PGPRs for effective management for blast disease under laboratory conditions. Survey has been conducted in different villages of Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Sitamarhi districts. Among the four districts highest mean disease incidence of leaf blast 38.5% was recorded in Muzaffarpur district and lowest 5.25% was recorded in Sitamarhi district. Highest neck blast disease incidence 26.35% was observed in Muzaffarpur district and lowest 5.84% in Begusarai district. Similarly highest finger blast incidence 30.85% was found in Muzaffarpur district and lowest incidence 4.59% in Samastipur district. Among 36 genotypes of finger millet evaluated for blast disease resistance 4 genotypes were found resistant to Leaf blast, 31 were resistant to Neck blast, 24 genotypes to Finger blast and 3 genotypes viz., FMV 1166, FMV 1212, GE 4999 were showed multiple resistance to all the three types of blasts i.e., Leaf, Neck and Finger blast diseases. Similarly, out of one hundred forty six genetic stocks germplasms were screened for blast disease resistance, 60 germplasms were found resistant to Leaf blast, 128 germplasms to Neck blast , 99 germplasms to Finger blast and 33 germplasms viz., GS -10, GS -18, GS -21,GS -23, GS 25, GS -30, GS -37, GS -38,, GS -43, GS -49, GS -53, GS -62, GS -66, GS -78, GS -79, GS 80, GS -81, GS -83, GS -84, GS -86, GS -96, GS -97, GS -101, GS – 102, GS -118, GS -120, GS -121, GS -122, GS -123, GS -126, GS -128, GS -135, and GS -140 were showed multiple resistance to all the three types of blasts i.e., Leaf, Neck and Finger blast diseases. Fifteen PGPR (plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria) (Pseudomonad isolates) isolates were evaluated for the effective antagonistic activity/ management of the pathogen Pyricularia grisea. Out of 15, PGPR-3was found most effective with 76.29% followed by PGPR-5 with 74.81% mycelial growth inhibition and PGPR 4 (8.14%) was found to be least effective in managing the pathogen.EnglishThesis