Asking About Sucking Pests and Blast Management for Paddy
Paddy is a vital crop for millions of people around the world, providing a significant amount of food for human consumption. However, it is often susceptible to various pests and diseases that can significantly reduce the yield and quality of the harvest. Two of the most common issues that farmers face are sucking pests and blast disease.
Sucking pests are insects that penetrate the plant and suck sap from the leaves and stems. These pests include rice brown plant hoppers, leafhoppers, and aphids. They cause significant damage to the paddy plant by reducing its vigour and causing wilting, yellowing, and blackening of leaves. Moreover, they also act as a vector for various plant viruses, which further deteriorates the plant’s health and productivity.
To manage sucking pests, farmers need to adopt various preventive measures like regular weeding and crop rotation. These practices not only eliminate the weeds that act as host plants for the pests but also reduce the build-up of insect populations. Farmers can also use biological control methods like the introduction of natural predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and spiders. Chemical treatments are also effective, but their excessive use should be avoided as they can harm the beneficial insects as well as pollute the environment.
On the other hand, blast disease is a fungal infection that attacks various parts of the paddy plant like leaves, necks, nodes, and grains. It causes premature drying and turning of the leaves, and white or gray spots on the grains. In severe cases, it can result in yield losses of up to 70%. The fungus spreads rapidly under warm and humid conditions, making it a significant challenge for farmers in tropical areas.
To manage blast disease, farmers need to be vigilant and monitor their crops regularly. They should remove any infected plants or parts of the plant and burn them to prevent the spread of the fungus. Also, farmers can use resistant varieties of paddy that are less susceptible to the disease. Applying fungicides and other chemical treatments can also be effective, but they should be used judiciously to avoid excessive use and environmental pollution.
In conclusion, paddy farmers need to take proactive measures to manage sucking pests and blast disease to ensure a healthy and productive harvest. By adopting appropriate preventive and control measures like crop rotation, biological controls, and judicious use of chemicals, farmers can minimise the loss of yield and quality that these issues can cause.