Annals of Plant Protection Sciences

Two rice varieties viz. Deku (local variety) and CAU R-1(improved variety) were transplanted under system of rice intensification (SRI) and traditional system of cultivation. The pooled results of two cropping seasons revealed prevalence of stem borer was significantly lower in SRI system, mean damage of 6.8 and 7.5% (dead heart) and 17.8 and 15.7 (white ear head) was recorded in CAU R1 and Deku, respectively, as against a higher incidence of 11.7 (dead heart) and 12.5% (white ear head) in Deku and 10.7 and 14.4 (dead heart) and 17.8% (white ear head) in CAU R-1 while at reproductive phase, there was no significant difference. The prevalence of blue beetle, case worm, leaf folder and gundhi bug/m² were lower in SRI as compared to traditional system. The occurrence of natural enemies like dragon flies and wolf spiders was higher in SRI while damsel flies and lady bird beetles population was lower in SRI in comparison to the traditional system. Among all the diseases, blast was lower in SRI with a mean damage of 8.2 and 7.5% in var. Deku and CAU R-1, respectively. The prevalence of other fungal diseases i.e. sheath blight, brown spot and false smut was lower in SRI than traditional system. Among bacterial diseases, bacterial leaf blight incidence was found to be lower in CAU R-1 and Deku with the mean 7.3 and 8.5%, respectively under SRI as compared to a higher level of incidence 14.8 in Deku and 12.8% in CAU R-1 under traditional system. However, there was no significant difference in grain yield between the two systems of cultivation.