Not AvailableRice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae (anamorph: Pyricularia oryzae) is a serious disease of rice threatening
its production worldwide. The pathogen has high genomic plasticity, wide host range and rapid rate of evolution
resulting in fungicidal resistance and breakdown of resistant varieties. Though integrated disease management
modules have been adopted for the management of the pathogen, the disease continues to be a challenge to plant
pathologists. The pathogen affects all the above-ground parts of the plant including seeds. Seeds are implicated as
important overwintering source of inoculum of the pathogen and may serve as an important source of primary
inoculum during the rice season. Further, the spread of pathogen to previously un- invaded areas has been found
associated with the movement of the infected seeds. Therefore, use of pathogen-free healthy seeds should be an
integral part of the rice blast management module, for quarantine purposes. Further, with the appearance of
wheat blast as a global threat to wheat production and invasion of rice blast pathogen to previously uninvaded
areas, accurate detection of M. oryzae strains is of paramount importance. Conventionally used seed testing assays
are time-consuming, labor-intensive and have low sensitivity and specificity. Advances in the detection strategies
of rice blast pathogen from blotter test to high throughput real time PCR is remarkable. But still, commercial
application of these technologies is lacking. The review focuses on the advances in detection strategies of M. oryaze
and their utility as commercial protocols.CSI
