How to control rice leaf beetle (rice hispa) causing slow growth

    The rice leaf beetle is one of the main pests of rice in northern China, occurring frequently during the rice seedling stage, with the most severe damage from late June to early July. The larvae or adults feed on rice leaves, forming many white streaks on the damaged leaves. In severe cases, the entire leaf and even the leaves of the whole paddy field turn white, causing rice growth to slow down, plants to be short and stunted, and tillering to decrease. Even if damaged seedlings can recover, later rice growth and yield are still affected. 

Rice leaf beetle

    I. Agricultural control

    1. Clearing weeds from roadsides, ditches, pond edges and other places around paddy fields can eliminate overwintering rice leaf beetles and reduce damage in the paddy field.

    2. After most of the eggs in the paddy field have hatched, sweep the larvae hiding on the rice leaves into the water with a broom every early morning for 3-4 consecutive days; the effect is good.

    3. Transplanting rice appropriately earlier and cultivating strong seedlings can avoid damage by the rice leaf beetle.

 
    II. Chemical control

    When the larvae are the size of a grain of rice and there is a worsening trend, spraying should be carried out. The following pesticides can be chosen: 

    1. 90 % crystalline trichlorfon, 1500-2250 g per hectare of paddy field, diluted with water and sprayed;

 
    2. 80 % dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate, 1500-2250 mL per hectare of paddy field, diluted with water and sprayed; 

    3. 50 % fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate, 1125-1500 mL per hectare of paddy field, diluted with water and sprayed;

 
    4. 2.5 % deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate, 300-450 mL per hectare of paddy field, diluted with water and sprayed;

 
    5. 2.5 % cyhalothrin emulsifiable concentrate, 300-450 mL per hectare of paddy field, diluted with water and sprayed.