The overall objective of the study was to assess the status of rice diseases under system of rice intensification (SRI) and farmer’s production system in Morogoro. A checklist survey in nine farmer fields was done and later experiments at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Crop Museum for two seasons. The experiment was laid down in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. The treatments were three different types of spacing 25 cm x 25 cm for SRI, 20 cm x 20 cm for farmers practice one (FP1), random spacing for farmers practice two (FP2). Rice leaf samples were tested for presence of rice diseases pathogens using blotter method. Five rice diseases were observed in the survey. Rice brown spot diseases (RBSD) occurred most frequently in all locations while rice yellow mottle virus disease (RYMVD) was observed in seven locations. Rice sheath blight diseases (RSBD) and rice blast diseases (RBD) were recorded from four locations while rice bacterial leaf blight (RBLBD) in one location. On the other hand three diseases (RYMVD, RSBD and RBSD) were observed in on- station experiments, in all treatments for both seasons. The diseases incidence and severity were significantly different (P<0.001) between rice growing stages. System of rice intensification (SRI) plots appear to have high RYMVD incidence and severity than in FP1 and FP2 while the incidence and severity of RSBD and RBSD were higher in FP2 followed by FP1. The total yield were significantly higher for SRI than FP1 and FP2 (P<0.01). Diseases, water for irrigation and poor rice diseases knowledge were the main factors influencing yields in rice production. Adoption of SRI, farmer’s knowledge on SRI and field management, research on identification and characterization of disease pathogens and development of rice varieties which are resistant to diseases with preferable characteristics required by farmers and consumers is recommended.Africa Rice Research Center