Lahore: The Punjab Agriculture Department has issued recommendations for farmers to control rice planthopper, a small but highly damaging pest that attacks rice crops.
According to a department spokesman here on Thursday, the pest sucks sap from the lower parts of rice plants, particularly the stems. After the lower portion of the crop starts drying up, it attacks the upper leaves and panicles, he added.
He said the infestation usually begins in patches across a field, with both adult insects and nymphs feeding on the sap of leaves and stems.
The spokesman said the pest generally attacks rice crops in Punjab during the second week of September, with thick-stemmed rice varieties being relatively more susceptible.
He advised farmers to eliminate weeds growing inside and around rice fields, as the pest breeds on them.
Farmers should also collect and destroy the insects using hand nets and install light traps at night to attract and eliminate adult pests.
Farmers have also been advised against keeping standing water in fields continuously and to drain the fields immediately in case of a planthopper infestation.
The department further recommended that farmers avoid cultivating rice in shaded areas, refrain from unnecessary use of nitrogenous fertilisers, and maintain the recommended plant population rather than planting rice at excessive density.
For chemical control, farmers should use pesticides in consultation with local Agriculture Department experts and strictly observe the prescribed pre-harvest interval before harvesting the crop.