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Detailed explanation-1: -What is ‘Magnaporthe oryzae’ which was seen in the news recently? Notes: ‘Magnaporthe oryzae’ is a fungus that causes ‘wheat blast’. It is currently destroying wheat crops in South America, threatening its food security in a major scale. Scientists have warned that the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae could spread worldwide.

Detailed explanation-2: -This disease is caused by a fungus named Pyricularia orizae, which overwinters in rice seeds and infected rice stubble. The fungus reproductive structures, spores, can spread from these two sources to rice plants during the next growing season and initiate new infections.

Detailed explanation-3: -The fungus attacks the crop at all stages of crop growth from seedling to late tillering and ear heading stage. Symptoms appear on leaves, nodes, rachis, and glumes. On the leaves, the lesions appear as small bluish green flecks. Black lesions appear on nodes girdling them. More items