Integrated Control Methods and Techniques for Rice Stem Borer Damage

Integrated control technology for stem borer damage refers to addressing the adverse conditions of residual toxicity, resistance, and resurgence caused by long-term pesticide application against rice stem borers, minimizing harm to humans and environmental pollution while earnestly implementing the “prevention first, integrated control” plant protection policy, persisting in carrying out pest and disease forecasting and reporting, inspecting insects and diagnosing diseases, prescribing and dispensing pesticides to guide control, thereby giving play to the ecological regulation function of farmland.

In response to the substantial adjustment of the agricultural production structure in Jinggu County, while developing toward high-quality, high-yield, and high-efficiency agriculture, comprehensively utilizing ecological control, biological control, physical control, and high-efficiency, low-toxicity, low-residue chemical pesticide control in combination, a coordinated system for controlling rice stem borers is formed, which can both achieve the goal of controlling stem borer outbreaks and damage, and keep harmful substances in products and the environment within the standards set by the state, producing pollution-free, high-quality products.

1. Reducing the overwintering stem borer population base in effective insect source fields

1) Autumn and winter prevention. In autumn, carefully consider which fields are effective insect source fields for next spring, using dead heart clusters and white ear groups as markers, and before larvae have fully descended to overwintering positions, cut off dead heart seedlings and white ear plants from the base; before sowing and planting winter crops, finely prepare the land and remove rice stubble; in the early growth stage of winter crops, combined with intertillage and weeding, collect rice stubble for composting.

2) Timely spring plowing and flooding of fields. Remove weeds along field edges, timely irrigate and plow for flooding; before the peak emergence of the overwintering generation of stem borers, irrigate and plow paddy fields, thereby timely eliminating stem borers that overwinter after winter in field edges, grass, rapeseed stalks, and rice stubble, which can greatly reduce the base population of stem borers occurring that year.

2. Setting up trap-kill fields, treating small fields to suppress the base population

Although the area of early transplanted fields in the county is small, during the peak emergence periods of the first and third generations of stem borer moths in late April and mid-July, early transplanted rice, especially early paddy fields and late paddy fields transplanted early, has already grown green and lush, attracting adult insects to lay eggs accounting for about 70% of the total eggs of that generation.

3. Timely field drying

For early rice, before May 25; for second-crop late rice, before August 25 is the suitable period for field drying; fields that have reached sufficient seedling numbers should be dried early; paddy fields that have not reached the sufficient seedling standard should be dried at the end of the drying period; fertile fields should be dried heavily, dried until human footprints are visible when stepping, feet do not stick to mud, or the field surface develops fine cracks. Field drying can effectively reduce the number of eggs laid by stem borer moths, achieving the effect of lowering the stem borer damage rate.

4. Vigorously controlling newly hatched larvae during the booting and heading stages of late-maturing varieties

The peak occurrence periods of the second and fourth generations of newly hatched larvae often coincide with the breaking and heading stage (susceptible invasion period) of early and late rice late-maturing varieties. Based on the overlap period of this rice growth stage with the peak of stem borer egg hatching, pesticides are applied, and special stem borer control pesticides such as Mingshijing, Daomingqing, and Regent are used to control newly hatched larvae invading young panicles, which can reduce the white ear rate.

5. Cultivation-based stem borer control

Rational layout of rice cultivation, adjustment of sowing and planting periods, and promotion and application of stem borer-resistant varieties can relatively reduce stem borer damage.

6. Rapid harvesting and quick plowing to eliminate stubble

After early rice matures, harvest promptly, plow quickly and harvest rapidly; in some areas with little rain and drought, pump water to irrigate fields as early as possible, which can effectively eliminate most larvae and pupae in rice stubble, greatly reducing the insect source for the third generation.

7. Scientific pesticide use

Select high-efficiency, long-lasting, targeted pesticides, and guide farmers to apply pesticides according to forecast timing; mainly use Mingshijing, Daomingqing, triazophos, and Regent for stem borer control.

8. Protecting natural enemies

Deliberately establish some “safe pools” and “safe forests” for natural enemies in paddy fields, creating places conducive to the habitation and reproduction of natural enemies, allowing natural enemies to avoid pesticide poisoning, thereby increasing the reproduction coefficient of natural enemies and protecting the massive propagation of natural enemy populations; at the same time, select pesticides with low lethality to natural enemies, reducing damage to natural enemies and increasing the stem borer control rate by natural enemies.

9. Widely applying modern science and technology

Selecting genetically insect-resistant varieties, promoting and applying advanced technologies and skills such as mathematical statistics information systems, will produce enormous efficacy for integrated stem borer control.