The primary symptoms of bakanae disease include infected seedlings appearing elongated, thinner, and slightly yellow compared to healthy green seedlings.
Infected rice seedlings exhibit distinct characteristics, making the disease relatively easy to spot, especially in the early stages of development. Here's a breakdown of the key symptoms:
- Elongation: Infected seedlings can grow significantly taller than healthy ones, sometimes up to three times the height. This rapid growth is a hallmark of the disease.
- Thinness: The stems of infected seedlings are often noticeably thinner than those of healthy seedlings.
- Yellowing: The leaves of infected seedlings may exhibit a pale yellow color, indicating a lack of chlorophyll and impaired photosynthetic capacity.
- Height Disparity: Infected seedlings are often very visible above healthy seedlings due to their increased height.
These symptoms can lead to reduced vigor and ultimately, lower yields in affected rice crops.
