Pest:Rice bug

Leptocorisa acuta

The adult is an active flier and has a characteristic buggy order.Female bug lays eggs on paddy leaves or grasses in rows.Eggs hatch in about a week. Nymphs are elongated and green.The nymphs feed on sap of rice or grasses.The nymphs pass through 5 instars and become adult in two weeks.

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  • Pest 1
  • Pest 3
  • Pest 4
  • Pest 5
  • Pest 6
  • Pest 7
  • Pest 8

Symptoms

  • The adults feed by sucking milky juice of tender grains which as a result become chaff.The grains subjected to attack by rice bug alone become chaffy.Such grains turn brown and dry up.
  • Due to de-sapping rains show brownish discoloured patches on the husk.The affected ear head stands erect.

Procedure for Observation

Randomly mark 4 one meter sq. per 0.4 Ha. Observe five hills at random in a sq.m and count the total number of bugs without disturbing the plant and work out average per hill.

ETL

  • Flowering and after; 1-2 bugs per hill.

    • Control Measures

  • Keep the field and bunds free of weeds and grasses.
  • Avoid overlapping of cultivation in a padasekaram.
  • Collect and destroy bugs using hand nets- before flowering.
  • Install flame torches after dusk to attract and kill the bugs.
  • Spray Bauveria bassiana at 20 g per lit of water.
  • When bug is seen in large numbers apply one of the following insecticides either before 9 am or after 3 pm so that fertilization of the flowers is not affected. Malathion 50 EC @ 1000ml/Ha Carbaryl 50 WP @ 2 kg/Ha Quinalphos 25EC 1000 ml/Ha