Action to Prevent Disease and Control Pests and Secure an Autumn Grain Harvest Is Being Solidly Carried Out Across All Regions

At present, the middle and late rice in the south is at an important stage of yield formation, and it is also a critical period for the occurrence and control of major diseases and pests. According to monitoring by the National Crop Major Disease and Pest Forecasting Network, affected by the weather, the occurrence of major rice diseases and pests is more serious than last year and in normal years. First, epidemic diseases spread quickly.

As of August 25, the cumulative occurrence area of rice blast in the rice region of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River was 37.17 million mu, an increase of 17.7% year on year. In Hunan, Jiangxi, Hubei and some other areas, the diseased leaf rate of some middle rice reached more than 10%, with the highest reaching 30%; in the single-season rice region of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the degree of occurrence was the most severe in nearly ten years. Sheath blight occurred heavily in most rice regions. Second, migratory pests showed a trend of being light early and serious later. Affected by continuous large-scale immigration since June, the occurrence area and density of rice planthoppers and rice leaf folders in the rice regions of Jiangnan and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River rose sharply, and in some areas (such as Hunan) the degree of occurrence was the most severe since 2008. Third, boring pests occurred one after another. In the rice regions of Jiangnan and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the cumulative occurrence area of rice stem borers was 153 million mu-times.

In response to the serious occurrence of major diseases and pests in middle and late rice, all regions have solidly carried out the “Action to Prevent Disease and Control Pests and Secure an Autumn Grain Harvest”, resolutely curbing the harm of disease and pest outbreaks. First, timely mobilization and deployment. Key rice-producing provinces such as Hunan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Jiangsu and Anhui have successively held on-site control meetings and issued guiding documents to deploy and arrange the prevention and control of major diseases and pests in middle and late rice. All regions refined implementation plans, improved control measures, and fulfilled control responsibilities to ensure orderly progress of the work. Second, strengthen monitoring and early warning. The frequency and intensity of monitoring and investigation were increased to accurately grasp the dynamics of major rice diseases and pests, promptly assess occurrence trends, and provide a scientific basis for control decisions. At the same time, the information reporting system was strictly enforced, and forecast and warning information and control technologies were released in a timely manner to guide farmers in scientific prevention and control. Third, promote unified prevention and control. The role of demonstration bases for the integration of specialized unified prevention and control with green prevention and control was brought into play, support was increased, and efforts were made to raise the level of organization and scientific management of prevention and control. Financial departments at all levels in Hunan invested a cumulative total of 75 million yuan to support unified prevention and control and green prevention and control, and the area under full-process contracted rice control services reached 18.2 million mu, an increase of 15% year on year; Jiangsu Province specially arranged 38 million yuan in provincial-level financial funds to support unified prevention and control, and the unified prevention and control rate of major rice diseases and pests reached 56%, an increase of 5 percentage points year on year. Fourth, carry out supervision and inspection. Since late July, various provinces and regions have successively dispatched 5~6 supervision groups and technical guidance groups to go deep into the front line of prevention and control, conduct roving supervision and guidance, and focus on inspecting the implementation of prevention and control responsibilities and measures, holding technical training and carrying out on-site guidance. Agricultural plant protection departments in all counties and districts have also implemented the system of technical personnel stationed in villages and linked to designated points, dispatched capable forces, gone deep into the fields, and guided farmers face to face and hand to hand in preventing disease and controlling pests, effectively improving the rate of application of prevention and control technologies.

As of now, the cumulative national prevention and control area for major rice diseases and pests is 723 million mu, accounting for 94.5% of the area that should be controlled, and the serious occurrence trend of major diseases and pests in middle and late rice has been curbed. There is still some time before the large-scale harvest of middle and late rice. The Ministry of Agriculture requires all regions that as long as the autumn grain is not in hand for even one day, prevention and control must not be relaxed for even one day, with greater intensity and stronger measures, and all efforts must be made to strive for a good autumn grain harvest.