Summary Pyricularia oryzae is a multi‐host pathogen causing cereal disease, including the devastating rice blast. Panicle blast is a serious stage, leading to severe yield loss. Thirty‐one isolates (average 4.1%) were collected from the rice panicle lesions at nine locations covering Jiangsu province from 2010 to 2017. These isolates were characterized as Pyricularia sp. jiangsuensis distinct from known Pyricularia species. Th...