Tackling banded leaf and sheath blight disease of maize through activation of host defense

Maize or corn (Zea mays L.) is the third most important cereal crop in the economy of agriculture. Banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) caused by Rhizoctonia solani (= R. solani f. sp. sasakii) is one of the highly devastating soil-borne diseases of maize in South and Southeast Asia. Although the use of resistant varieties is preferred as an eco-friendly and cheapest approach to disease management, unfortunately, no true genetic sources of BLSB resistance are available in maize. Hence, chemically induced resistance in the host plant is considered an alternative strategy against many crop diseases. The present study investigated the basis of BLSB resistance in maize hybrid variety Vivek QPM-9 by seed priming with two plant defense inducers, viz., salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA). Higher concentrations (100 ppm) of SA and JA were significantly more effective against R. solani than the lower concentrations (75 and 50 ppm) in vitro. The study found that the application of SA and JA as exogenous pretreatment resulted in improved seed germination, increased seedling weight, and enhanced overall plant growth. During the Kharif season (June–October) in both 2020 and 2021, under in vivo conditions in a net house, the application of SA at 100 and 75 ppm and JA at 100 ppm resulted in a significant decrease in the percent disease index (PDI) of 46.79%, 47.05%, and 48.85%, respectively. Both plant defense inducers elevated the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in maize at higher concentrations of 100 ppm. Seed priming with a high concentration of the inducers was more effective in suppressing the disease and increasing grain yield under the controlled condition of the net house. The study shows the scope of using need-based fungicides with a reduced amount in the management of fungal diseases of maize by adopting a plant defense inducer-mediated host resistance approach.