A review on management strategies for brown spot disease in rice: Insights from Nepal

Abstract

Global rice production is continuously threatened by brown spot disease, especially in areas like Nepal where vulnerability is increased by a lack of resources. This review aims to critically assess cultural, physical, biological, botanical, chemical, and integrated disease management (IDM) approaches contextualized for Nepalese agroecological circumstances while looking into the pathogen’s biology, epidemiology, and symptomatic progression. Since more than half of Nepal’s population depends on rice for their main source of nutrition, controlling brown spot disease is essential to the country’s food security. The disease has a direct impact on household income and nutritional security because it not only reduces yields but also impairs grain quality. Moreover, the need for effective and flexible control measures is highlighted by its recurrence in response to shifting climate patterns. Despite the existence of several control measures, socio-economic, technological, and infrastructure constraints prevent their widespread use. In order to promote a context-specific, integrated strategy incorporating resistant cultivars, better input management, and active farmer engagement to increase resilience in Nepal’s rice systems, this article identifies the gaps, local achievements, and global parallels.