Adopt control measures only if the pest / disease population exceeds the economic threshold levels.

Economic threshold levels (ETLs)

Crop stage and pest

Economic threshold levels

A. Nursery

1. Green leaf hopper

1-2 insects/m2

2. Gall midge

1 silver shoot (gall)/m2

3. Stem borer

1 moth or 1 egg mass/m2

4. Blast

5% disease severity

B. Planting to pre-tillering

1. Leaf folder

2 freshly damaged leaves/hill

2. Yellow stem borer

10% dead hearts or one egg mass or one moth/m2

3. Gall midge

1 gall/m2 in endemic areas or 5% affected tillers in non-endemic areas.

4. Brown plant hopper

5 to 10 insects/hill

5. Green leaf hopper

10 insects/hill (in RTV endemic areas 21 insects/hill)

6. White backed plant hopper

10 insects/hill

7. Rice Hispa

2 adults or 2 damaged leaves/hill

C. Mid-tillering

1. Leaf folder

2 freshly damaged leaves/hill

2. Stem borer

10% dead heart or 1 moth or 1 egg mass/m2

3. Gall midge

10% silver shoots

4. Brown plant hopper

10 insect/hill

5. Green leaf hopper

10-20 insects/hill

6. Hispa

2 adults or 2 damaged leaves/hill

7. Blast

Light (5-10% disease severity)

8. Bacterial blight

Light (2 to 5% disease severity)

9. Sheath blight

10% or more affected tillers

10. Tungro

1 affected hill/m2

D. Panicle initiation to booting

1. Stem borer

1 egg mass or 1 moth/m2

2. Leaf folder

2 freshly damaged leaves/hill

3. Green leaf hopper

20 insects/hill

4. Brown plant hopper

15 to 20 insects/hill

5. White backed plant hopper

15 to 20 insects/hill

6. Blast

5 to 10% leaf area damaged

7. Bacterial blight

Light to moderate (2-5% disease severity)

8. Sheath blight

10% or more tillers affected

E. Flowering and after

1. Brown plant hopper

25 to 30 insects/hill

2. Climbing cutworm

4-5 larvae/m2

3. Rice bug

1 or 2 bugs/hill

4. Blast

5% leaf area damaged or 1 to 2% neck infection

5. Sheath rot / brown spot / slight panicle discolouration

2-5% tillers affected

6. Sheath blight

10% or more tillers affected

7. Stem borer

2% white ear head

Source: Manual on Integrated Pest Management in Rice, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage.

Note:

(1) The population should be estimated on the basis of careful and regular surveillance.

(2) When natural enemies of brown plant hopper, green leaf hopper, stem borers and leaf folders are present, application of chemical measures can be delayed or dispensed with.

Pests

Rice stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas)

Symptoms

In the vegetative phase, the central shoot dies off turning yellow in colour (dead heart). In the ear bearing stage, the ear head appears completely chaffy and white in colour (white ear head). Both come out easily when pulled up and show indication of feeding injuries at the base.