Remove or destroy stubble after harvest, keep fields free of weeds, trim field bunds and provide effective drainage. Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer. Avoid close planting, especially in brown planthopper (BPH) and leaf folder prone areas or seasons, and leave a 30 cm space after every 2.5 m. Use light traps (1 per hectare) and pheromone traps (12 per hectare) to monitor stem borer and leaf folder, and remove and destroy stem borer egg masses. In BPH-prone areas, avoid chemicals that cause resurgence, such as synthetic pyrethroids and quinalphos, and avoid repeated use of the same insecticide.
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Agriculture 2020 (Directorate of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Rice – Pest management, main field, p. 50
Region
Tamil Nadu
Last updated
2026-11-04
When to act: stem borer and leaf folder
Economic threshold levels: stem borer – 2 egg masses per m², or 10% dead hearts, or 2% white ears; leaf folder – 10% leaf damage at the vegetative phase, or 5% flag leaf damage at flowering.
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Agriculture 2020 (Directorate of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Rice – Economic threshold level, pp. 50–51
Region
Tamil Nadu
Last updated
2026-11-04
Stem borer: egg parasitoid
Release the egg parasitoid Trichogramma japonicum three times at weekly intervals from 37 days after transplanting, at 1,00,000 per hectare per release, when moth activity is observed.
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Agriculture 2020 (Directorate of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Rice – Stem borer management, p. 51
Region
Tamil Nadu
Last updated
2026-11-04
Chemical pesticides: ask before you spray
The source lists many insecticides and fungicides for rice pests and diseases. Many are hazardous, and some may be restricted. Choose a product only with your local Agriculture Officer, use it only when the pest crosses the threshold level, and do not repeat the same chemical.
Follow the instructions on the product label. Consult your local Agriculture Officer before use.
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Agriculture 2020 (Directorate of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Rice – Crop protection, pp. 49–55
