Philippine govt warns farmers to be vigilant to four rice pests

The Philippine Rice farmers should be alert on the presence of four rice pests this first cropping season. These rice pests include army worms or tagustus, rice black bugs,brown plant hopper and stemborer, according to the Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) of the Department of Agriculture.

 

RCPC Chief Rene Famoso said these pests usually proliferate after a long dry spell and when there are intermittent rains and humid climate in the fields.

 

“The most dangerous is the armyworm with dark color, compared to light brown or light yellow or green ones,” Famoso said.

 

The latter, he added, has already infested 31 hectares of corn in San Carlos City, where farmers were assisted in replanting.

 

Farmers should also keep watch for the influx of rice black bug for it has already infested seven municipalities in Capiz, four districts in Iloilo and the whole of Negros Occidental, as of July 2016.

 

“The RBB usually attack rice at the vegetative stage until fruiting, damaging with bugburn and ehite heads,” Famoso added.

 

On the other hand, brown plant hopper usually hide under the canopy of the rice plant and stay on rice stalks where they suck the plant juice while the stemborer larvae go inside the plant in less than 24 hours after hatching.

 

DA-6 Information Officer James Ogatis said the department recommended that management of these rice pests include sanitation or cleaning of surroundings, and dikes before crop establishment and water management, like irrigating the fieldto control armyworm, rice black bug and stemborers while draining the field for management of brown plant hopper population.

 

For army worm, farmers can also use grated coconut or brown sugar broadcasted to the infected field in order to attract ants which will prey on the said pests.

 

Famoso said that chemicals should be the last recourse for the farmers.

 

“Contact chemicals should be used to control armyworms and should be applied late afternoon,” he further said.