• Widespread. Asia, Africa, North, South, Central America, Europe, Oceania. In Australia, Fiji.
• Important disease of rice, causing regular epidemics. Wild grasses are hosts.
• Bacteria enter natural openings and wounds, moving in water conducting tissues, causing streaks with wavy margins – yellowish-white (seedlings), pale yellow (older plants) - joining together, resulting in wilts, drying and death. Droplets ooze from streaks leaving crusts. Spread with irrigation water, wind and rain, possibly seed. Survival in seed, and weeds.
• Biosecurity: import only bacteria-free certified seed, and subject to closed quarantine.
• Cultural control: use certified seed, or select seed from healthy plants; do not clip seedling leaves; do not apply excessive N; ensure good drainage (flooding allows infection); weed (especially Leersia species); plough stubble after harvest; fallow fields to destroy bacteria; use resistant varieties - available in Africa and Asia.
• Chemical control: not effective for this disease.

Rice bacterial leaf blight; also known as rice leaf blight.

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Different strains exist in Japan and the Philippines and, importantly, differences exist between strains in Asia and Africa.