iarjalsIARJALSIARJALS2708-510410.47310/iarjals.2021.v02i01.015Correlating The Development of Sheath Blight Disease of Rice With Changing Climatic FactorsSomshettyRavaliBimlaRaiPremKumarJhaM.Sc. (Agriculture), Department of Plant Pathology, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, India-848125.Head & Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, India-848125.Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, India-848125.Rice is an important staple food crop for more than 60% of the world population and is subject to various biotic and abiotic stresses which cause yield losses up to 20-30%. Sheath blight of rice caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn is a potentially devastating fungal disease under suitable conditions. Studies on correlation between the development of sheath blight of rice and changing climatic factors was carried out by taking six weather parameters as independent variables and cumulative and periodical increment in disease severity as dependent variables. Disease severity significantly correlated with maximum temperature, minimum temperature, evening relative humidity, and evaporation. It revealed that high temperatures (30-34 0C) and high relative humidity (above 90%) were responsible for the establishment of sheath blight disease in rice.