Brown BPH outbreaks, why?

Tens of thousands of farmers are losing their sleep because of brown backed rice plant hoppers. Why do hoppers flare and how to resist psyllids? Below is the article of Prof. Vo Tong Xuan.

Repeat the old lesson

Rice contaminated with yellow dwarf and twisted leaves of Mr. Nguyen Van Huy (Tan Binh commune, Cai Lay district, Tien Giang province) suffered from root and seed rot . (Photo: TTD)

Currently, all over the locality, in Phu Tan sticky rice fields of Tan My Hung Cooperative (An Giang), there is not a brown psyllid, this summer crop has at least 4.5 tons / ha. The farmers here are relaxed, not having to worry about spraying like other places because they have used IR 50404 rice variety which is very resistant to pests .

Recalling the years 1976-1977, history has been recurring with the main harm factor is brown backed rice plant hopper. At that time, we 'closed' Can Tho University so that nearly 2,000 students would split and kill brown backed rice plant hoppers.

Nearly 200 points of IR36 rice breeding were resistant to brown backed rice plant hoppers. From these points, farmers exchanged hands to change rice varieties for planting and only after two rice crops, brown backed rice plant hoppers were completely destroyed.

After IR36 variety, many other high-yield and high-yield rice varieties were selected by the scientists of Can Tho University and O Mon Rice Institute, IR64 and MTL50 varieties (selected by Can Tho University from the original). IR50404 of the International Rice Institute), has stabilized the status of brown backed rice plant hoppers for a long time.

By 2005, the western field was burnt and scattered with rice dust infected with yellow dwarf and twisted leaves dwarf diseases transmitted by brown planthopper.

Due to the streamlining of state staff, the network of agricultural extension workers is not much, few people visit the fields to soon discover pests, especially brown backed rice plant hopper and leaf blight.

Meanwhile traders at the request of rice export companies have encouraged farmers to cultivate a lot of ' high quality ' rice varieties such as Jasmine 85, VD20 . all of which are not resistant to psyllids.

And especially many communes and districts also encourage farmers to do the third crop. This is an ideal condition for brown backed rice plant hopper to develop, the field always has good rice, and rice is not resistant to pests. incorrect method.

Must give holiday land!

First, every farmer must know to save himself, not rely on, expect agricultural extension or plant protection. Farmers must learn to understand: why their fields have brown plant hoppers, when spraying is effective, when not to spray, which drugs treat pests effectively, when to resolutely remove or plow trees Rice is infected with virus, know how to sparse and apply NPK balance to rice crop to avoid pest and leaf blight.

In retrospect, most of the past field disasters are mainly subjective farmers, not according to scientific recommendations.

In Thailand, most farmers only grow one season of rice a year, especially the Huong Hoa (Dawk Mali); only about 20% of the season rice is replanted with the second crop with short-term high-yielding varieties.

Meanwhile, our peasants are not willing to leave their land, every year they do all three crops of rice; the third rice crop is a little bit profitable today but leaves behind disastrous consequences because the land is exhausted, the environment pollutes the fertilizer, and helps pests spread from season to season.

In order not to repeat the brown backed rice plant hopper, the State needs to reestablish the network of agricultural extension and plant protection; revise regulations on using resistant rice varieties

Brown plant hoppers, resolutely prevent farmers / localities from cultivating fragrant rice. It is recommended that farmers do not do triple rice in the rainy season, instead produce more economical crops and livestock, or preferably leave a crop of land for flood discharge for sediment.

Watch out for black-backed green hoppers

The time has come for Western farmers to wake up: planting BPH resistant rice varieties with only two crops per year by 'triple reduction - three tanks' method to avoid yellow dwarf diseases and twisted leaves, or burn hoppers.Should not run under the movement of fragrant rice.

Another difficult problem is likely to happen if farmers neglect rice varieties that are resistant to aphids. It is now that black-backed green hoppers are appearing with brown backed rice plant hoppers, but very little density.

This type of hopper causes tungro to be more difficult to treat than stunted and twisted leaves. The disease caused the whole field to turn yellow, the rice was not enough chlorophyll to produce rice seeds. The more growing rice varieties that are not resistant to psyllids three times a year, the more favorable conditions for pests to develop.

Until tungro enters our country (like in the Philippines), we will have to import rice to eat enough. The state needs to demonstrate its management role, and farmers need to comply with the field technique to stop the brown plant hopper disaster and the black-backed green plant hopper.

Prof. Vo Tong Xuan