By Think Real - During 14-15 July, 2016, the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center (NATESC) held a Commerce Meeting for the Occurrence Trend of Major Diseases and Pests for Agricultural Crops in China in H2 2016, on which it was predicted that the occurrence of main rice diseases and pests will be serious on the whole, with the area 72.4 million ha, up by 16.1% year on year. In detail, the occurrence areas of pests and diseases (accumulated area, the same hereinafter) were predicted to be 48.7 million ha and 23.7 million ha, respectively, which increased by 20.8% and 7.4% year on year. Moreover, rice planthoppers and leaf roller will strike on a large scale and serious, and rice blast and sheath blight will strike seriously.

General occurrence situation of diseases and pests in H1 2016 (including the early rice in the double cropping and early phase of middle rice in the single cropping)

In the first half of 2016, major rice diseases and pests stroke seriously in the southern rice production areas, with an accumulative area of 27.3 million ha, among which those of pests and diseases were 20.0 million ha and 7.3 million ha respectively.

Moreover, rice planthoppers stroke 7.3 million ha of rice fields in H1 2016, with a degree slightly more serious than the same period last year; rice leaf roller stroke slightly less serious year on year with an occurrence area of 4.1 million ha, 13.2% less year on year.

Prediction in H2 2016

Though in the first half of 2016 the occurrence area of rice diseases and pests was less year on year, due to the more rain during June-July 2016 and the predicted more damage from typhoon in H2 2016, which is favorable for the spread and transfer of diseases and pests, the occurrence in H2 2016 will be more serious. For example, as shown in the latest monitoring results, the volume of rice planthoppers in the fields grew by 25% year on year.

Table : Accumulative and predicted occurrence of rice diseases and pests in China, H1 and H2 2016