Hwasun-gun Urges Thorough Control to Prevent Spread of Rice Pest, the Rice Leaf Folder

Increasing Trend of Pest and Disease Outbreaks Including Spodoptera litura Despite Preventive Measures

Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 24th that it is strengthening monitoring and urging thorough supplementary pest control as damage from the rice pest, the rice leaf roller, is spreading.

Following the typhoon, high temperatures have persisted, leading to an increase in the occurrence of diseases and pests.

Despite prior and joint pest control efforts, damage from the rice leaf roller is increasing, and if supplementary pest control is neglected, a significant decrease in rice yield is expected.

The rice leaf roller, which originates from China, has larvae that roll rice leaves into long cylindrical shapes and feed on the leaves from inside.

The affected leaves are left with only the epidermis, preventing photosynthesis, which results in poor grain filling, reduced grain quality, and decreased yield.

If the infestation level is high, it is effective to conduct two focused pest control treatments at 7 to 10-day intervals targeting the young larvae.

Additionally, there are concerns about the occurrence of other pests and diseases such as the rice planthopper and rice blast disease, which cause significant damage in the late growth stages of rice, so continuous monitoring and simultaneous pest control are necessary.

An official from the Hwasun-gun Agricultural Technology Center stated, “A single female rice leaf roller lays 80 to 90 eggs and rapidly increases the population, so thorough pest control is essential to minimize damage in September.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.