
Finger millet is the fourth most important millet covering 10 % of the global millet area in over 25 countries in Asia and Africa. Though India is the leading producer of the crop with an area of 1.4 million ha and 2.0 million tons grain production. Its production is severely hampered by blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea which affects leaves, fingers, neck and discolors the seed; thus, significantly reducing the grain yield and quality. The average loss due to blast has been reported to be around 20-30% and could be as high as 80-90% in endemic areas. Recognizing the importance of finger millet and constraints posed by blast disease, present study was planned to characterize populations of M. grisea adapted to finger millet from diverse geographical locations with reference to pathogenicity of the isolates.