High risk of viral diseases once again affecting Vietnamese rice crops

Vietnamese farmers have been warned of the high risk of black-streak dwarf and other viral diseases infecting their summer-autumn rice crops as they did last years winter-spring plantings.

The Agriculture and Rural Development Ministrys Plant Protection Department deputy director Bui Sy Doanh issued the alert at a meeting yesterday to assess the control of the black-streak dwarf virus in the 2009-10 winter-spring crop.

The disease had already appeared in central Thua Thien-Hue province, the deputy director said.

Symptoms had also been found on rice seedlings in Lai Chau and Nghe An provinces.

Ragged stunt virus had been found in northern provinces, including Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Phu Tho, and Lai Chau, as well as Ha Noi.

The department had required these provinces to carefully monitor and protect rice from the two virus diseases and diseases caused by white and brown backed hoppers.
The hot weather had created an environment that enabled the virus and hoppers to thrive.

Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Diep Kinh Tan instructed provincial administrators to guide farmers to ensure water was 3-5cm above the surface in rice fields and use an extra of 20 to 30 per cent of fertiliser to deal with the threat.

His ministry would also accelerate implementation of plant protection technology and apply the System of Rice Intensification.

Thien Duc Investment and Development company director Nghiem Man told the meeting that a group of scientists led by the Viet Nam Science and Technology Institutes Hua Quyet Chien had developed a biological product known as EXIN 4.5HP to combat black-streak dwarf.

It had been applied on a total of 50ha of rice in ten provinces this month.

An initial assessment showed positive results; rice had increased 20 per cent and the fields were disease free.

The Plant Protection Department reported that black-streak dwarf caused the loss of 33,182 hectares of rice in 12 provinces last year.