New Solutions Control Planthoppers and More in Rice Fields
Something went wrong. Please try again later...
Across the rice-growing world, farmers must manage intense insect pest pressures that can devastate harvests. Planthopper infestations, particularly from brown planthopper (BPH), have long been a major concern for rice yields. Fortunately, Corteva Agriscience products with Pyraxalt™ active have helped control planthoppers in rice fields in countries across the APAC region, including India, China, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia.
“Introduction of Pexalon insecticide [with Pyraxalt active] has definitely contributed significantly for farmers,” said Sushil Raikar, Category Lead, Corteva Agriscience. “It has assured farmers that effective control of hoppers is possible.”
While better BPH control is good news, rice farmers still have to contend with other damaging pests, including stem borers and leaffolders. Incidence of these pests tend to overlap with planthoppers. Farmers prefer using one application pass to control planthoppers, stem borers, and leaffolders in their rice crops. Fewer trips through the field for pest control also mean less labor, freeing farmers up to spend time on other activities on or off their farms.
Stem borers in rice
Stem borers can be found wherever rice is grown. Their feeding damages plants during both the vegetative and reproductive stages, affecting the plant’s ability to produce grain. Yield loss can be significant. Striped stem borers, for example, can result in total losses.
In the field, stem borers have natural enemies such as spiders, lady beetles and wasps.1 Farmers can improve stem borer control by using insecticides that don’t harm these helpful organisms.
Leaffolders in rice
Just as their name implies, these pests fold themselves into leaves using silk to hold the leaf together. Once inside, they feed on the plant. If infestation occurs at the vegetative stage, rice plants can usually recover. Infestation during the reproductive stage, however, will hurt yields as the pests feed on flag leaves. Leaffolders like shade and tend to be more prevalent in the rainy season and in irrigated fields.2
Close×
Regional pest challenges in rice
Planthoppers create issues in all rice-growing areas. Stem borer and leaffolder pressure may vary depending on the region and rice cultivation practices.
Indonesia
Major BPH outbreaks occur about every five years in Indonesia. Dwi Priyo Prabowo, Category Manager for Rice and Field Crops at Corteva Agriscience, explained, “The majority of rice production occurs on the island of Java, which produces about 60% of rice in Indonesia. Because this is a concentrated area, when there is a planthopper infestation, the populations just explode.”
While BPH is a cyclical pest, stem borers are a more consistent issue for farmers here. When they need to control both pests, it’s convenient to use a tank-mix of two insecticides to treat in a single pass.
Many farmers chose broad-spectrum insecticides with less targeted control over BPH compared to Pyraxalt™ active. Prabowo said this can exacerbate the problem. “Many broad-spectrum insecticides don’t actually kill BPH. The insects will drop off the plant but don’t die.” At the same time, these broad-spectrum pest control options can also reduce populations of beneficial insects that prey on BPH. Farmers believe they have controlled their pest problem, only to see it come back even stronger.
Vietnam
In Vietnam, significant BPH infestations happen about every ten years. Hung An Nguyen, Rice Crops Category Manager for Corteva Agriscience explained that, before the introduction of Pexena® insecticide with Pyraxalt™ active, farmers here used much more insecticide to control planthopper outbreaks.
Leaffolder is another significant issue in this country because rice here is direct seeded. Nguyen explained, “Direct-seeded rice can create more pest pressure because there is a larger density of plants. Plus, increased use of fertilizer with this technique attracts pests.”
As in Indonesia, farmers in Vietnam tended to use broad-spectrum insecticides that affected beneficial insect populations. As a result, fields became infested with whiteflies, another problematic pests that beneficial insects prey on.
Farms in Vietnam are small. Nguyen says the average size is two hectares. This means infestations can take hold quickly and devastate yields. Farmers here are used to scouting rice fields daily for BPH and leaffolders to protect their harvests. This process takes a significant amount of time and effort.
India
Pexalon™ insecticide with Pyraxalt™ active is changing the game in controlling planthoppers in India. Raikar noted farmers are seeing incremental yield improvement of 3%-5% with use of Pexalon. The data also indicate that when the product is used in areas of high planthopper incidence, application of insecticides overall has marginally decreased.
For the past 15 years, rice farmers in India have successfully controlled stem borers using diamide-based insecticides. But efficacy appears to be waning. Raikar noticed farmers applying more insecticides more frequently to combat stem borers. This means farmers may be doing a pass to control BPH with Pexalon and multiple passes with other products to control stem borers.
Leaffolder poses a greater challenge to farmers in northern India. Like rice farmers in Vietnam and Indonesia, farmers here may turn to broad-spectrum, tank-mixed options to control multiple types of pests. However, this sacrifices the better planthopper control Pexalon provides.
Delivering solutions for control of multiple pests
In all three countries, farmers needed solutions that would give them early, lasting control of planthoppers and help them address overlapping stem borers and leafffolders — all with the convenience of a single pass. To address this need, Corteva Agriscience developed new insecticide options that combine Pyraxalt™ active with Jemvelva™ active. Both active ingredients have favorable environmental profiles and deliver proven insect pest control.
Jemvelva has long been trusted to control lepidopterans and thrips in fruit and vegetable crops as part of an IPM approach. It also has minimal impact on beneficial organisms.
The two new products are Deladaxin™ insecticide (for planthoppers and stem borers) and Hibifen™ insecticide (for planthoppers and leaffolders). The concentration of Jemvelva varies in these two products based on targeting stem borers or leaffolders.
In all of these regions, Corteva Agriscience is training farmers to apply the products at the proper use rates and to only use products containing Pyraxalt active once per season. This not only provides optimum results, it also helps delay the development of resistance so the products continue to be effective pest control options for the long term.
Close×
Convenience and control
Where these products are approved, farmers are already finding advantages with the combinations. Speaking on the experience in Vietnam rice fields, Nguyen said, “With Hibifen, farmers have convenience and peace of mind. They don’t need to spray many times. They can just apply once.”
In Indonesia, farmers enjoy the best in control for planthoppers and lepidopteran pests in one application. Prabowo noted farmers can use the same approach they are used to with Pexalon™ insecticide. “Applying at the early stage, farmers can control two important pests — planthopper and stem borer. We can also see the benefits at later crop stages. We can show farmers it not only controls the pests, but stems are stronger and tillers are maximized for better yields.”
With these options, farmers can apply once and feel confident two main pests are under control. Farmers can spend less time applying insecticides, scouting fields and worrying about infestations in their rice fields.
“Global rice consumption is continuing to rise year by year, but the areas to grow rice are limited,” Nguyen noted. “We need to get the most possible from the area we have.” He continued, “Rice farming is difficult and often unstable. Farmers are always in need of a new solutions to control pests and protect yields. This is why we have to keep developing solutions to help farmers.”
Learn more about Pyraxalt active
1 “Stem Borer,” IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank, accessed June 13, 2024, http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/pest-management/insects/item/stem-borer.
2 “Rice Leaffolder,” IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank, accessed June 13, 2024, http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/pest-management/insects/item/rice-leaffolder.
Deladaxin™ insecticide, Hibifen™ insecticide, Pexalon™ insecticide and Pexena® insecticide are not registered for sale or use in all states or countries. Contact your local regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Always read and follow label directions. This is not considered an offer for sale.