Imsil County Steps Up Rice Pest Monitoring and Mobilizes Full-Scale Control Efforts

Rice Blast, Brown Planthopper, and Rice Leaf Folder:
Strengthening Early Monitoring and Joint Pest Control in Imsil County

Jeonbuk Imsil County is strengthening on-site monitoring activities to prevent the spread of rice pests and diseases at an early stage and to take proactive measures, as concerns are rising over pest damage due to the recent hot and humid climate.

The county announced on the 24th that, starting from the 15th, it has organized pest monitoring teams centered around nine teams from the Agricultural Technology Center and agricultural counseling offices in towns and villages.

In addition, the county is conducting precise monitoring of the occurrence of rice blast disease and migratory pests such as the brown planthopper, white-backed planthopper, and rice leaf folder, while making every effort to provide on-site guidance for timely pest control.

The brown planthopper typically migrates into Korea from southern China and other regions on low-pressure air currents during June and July. It takes 27 to 30 days for the insect to reach adulthood. The pest usually inhabits the lower parts of rice stems within 10 centimeters of the water surface, feeding on plant sap. Severe infestations can cause rice plants to collapse or completely wither and die.

This year, it was confirmed that the brown planthopper migrated to some areas of Jeonnam about 10 days earlier than usual. With the recent continuation of high temperatures, the reproductive rate of the brown planthopper has accelerated, raising concerns about mass outbreaks. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct thorough monitoring to check population density and implement timely pest control measures to block the spread at an early stage.

On this day, the county conducted a joint monitoring operation to establish pest control measures by precisely analyzing the occurrence of migratory rice pests, with participation from related organizations such as the Rural Development Administration, the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, and the Provincial Agricultural Technology Institute. The county also provided on-site technical support to prevent the spread of pests and diseases.

Along with the brown planthopper, the county is currently carrying out the first round of joint rice pest control (by air and large-scale spraying) until the 29th, aiming to prevent pest damage that occurs just before the heading stage of rice and to reduce labor for pest control. The second round will be conducted in two phases from August 5 to 14, covering an area of 5,000 hectares, with the county making every effort to block the spread of pests and diseases at an early stage through joint control measures.

In response to the government's rice production adjustment policy, which has led to an expansion of paddy soybean cultivation, the county is investing a total project budget of 150 million won for the first time this year to prevent pest damage caused by abnormal weather conditions.

To proactively prevent damage from pests and diseases such as stink bugs, moths, anthracnose, and purple spot disease in paddy soybeans, and to ensure stable production and increased farm income, the county plans to provide aerial pest control support for paddy soybeans twice.

County Governor Sim Min stated, "Due to the recent abnormal climate, including high summer temperatures, there are concerns about the occurrence of various pests and diseases. We will do our best to minimize damage through thorough preemptive monitoring and joint pest control measures."

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