White backed plant hopper: Sogatella furcifera

Symptom of damage:

• Nymphs and adults suck the sap from base of the tiller and cause stunted growth .
• Drying of leaves from tip downwards i.e. “Hopper burn” is caused in irregular patches.
• Rice plants affected by WBPH appear with hopper burn uniformly in large area throughout the field rather than localized hopper burn patches as in BPH.
• Suck the sap and cause stunted growth
• “Hopper burn” is caused in irregular patches

Identification of insect pest:

• Egg: Cylindrical eggs are laid in groups when the rice plant is small but in the upper part of the rice plant when the plant is large. (They are laid with the micropylar end protruding from the tissue, the operculum is long and narrow. The eggs in a group are not sealed together by the material secreted by female.)
• Nymph: White to a strongly mottled dark grey or black and white in colour and 0.6 mm size when young. Fifth instar nymph with a narrow head and white or creamy white body. Dorsal surface of the thorax and abdomen marked with various amounts of grey and white markings.
• Adult: The adult hopper is 3.5-4.0 mm long. The forewings are uniformly hyaline with dark veins. There is a prominent white band between the junctures of the wings. Macropterous males and females and brachypterous females are commonly found in the field.

Management:

• Apply any one of the following insecticides
  • ETL - 2 nos. / tiller; when spider is present at 1 no./hill or 1No./hill when spider is absent
  • Avoid close planting and provide 30 cm rogue spacing at every 2.5 to 3.0 m.
  • Avoid use of excessive nitrogenous fertilizers.
  • Control irrigation by intermittent draining
  • Set up light traps to monitor pest population and to control.
  • Avoid use of insecticides causing resurgence such as synthetic pyrethroids, methyl parathion, fenthion and quinalphos
  • Drain the water before the use of insecticides and direct the spray towards the base of the plants.
  • Spray any one of the following insecticides per acre viz., Azadirachtin 0.03% 400 ml or Buprofezin 25% SC 320 ml or Carbosulfan 25% EC 320-400 ml or Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC 60 g or Chlorantraniliprole 0.4% G 4 kg or Fipronil 5% SC 400-600 ml or Fipronil 0.3% GR 6.7- 10 kg or Flonicamid 50% WG 60 g or or Imidacloprid 17.8% SL 40-50 ml or Buprofezin 15% + Acephate 35 % WP @ 500 g or Cartap 50% + Buprofezin 10 % WP @ 320 g or Dinotefuran 4 % + Acephate 50 % WP @ 200 g