Symptoms :

• Bacterial blight syndrome exhibits three types of symptoms: leaf blight, kresek (the seedling blight or wilt phase) and the pale-yellow leaf.
• The disease has been referred to as “bacterial leaf blight” to indicate that the “leaf blight” phase of the syndrome is the most distinct and commonly observed symptom.
• Seedlings in the nursery show circular, yellow spots in the margin, that enlarge, coalesce leading to drying of foliage.
• “Kresek” symptom is seen in seedlings, 1-2 weeks after transplanting.
• The bacteria enter through the cut wounds in the leaf tips, become systemic and cause death of entire seedling.
• In grown up plants water soaked, translucent lesions appear near the leaf margin.
• The lesions enlarge both in length and width with a wavy margin and turn straw yellow within a few days, covering the entire leaf.
• As the disease advances, the lesions cover the entire lamina which turns white or straw coloured.
• Milky or opaque dew drops containing bacterial masses are formed on young lesions in the early morning.
• They dry up on the surface leaving a white encrustation.
• The affected grains have discoloured spots.
• If the cut end of leaf is dipped in water, it becomes turbid because of bacterial ooze.

• The bacterium is aerobic, gram negative, non spore forming, rod with size ranging from 1-2 x 0.8-1.0􀀀m with monotrichous polar flagellum.
• Bacterial colonies are circular, convex with entire margins, whitish yellow to straw yellow colored and opaque.

• Clipping of tip of the seedling at the time of transplanting
• Heavy rain, heavy dew, flooding, deep irrigation water
• Severe wind and temperature of 25-30 0 C
• Application of excessive nitrogen, especially late top dressing