PEST CONTROL

PEST CONTROL

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) such as planting pest tolerant varieties, planting certified seed and following other good cultural practices is recommended for pest control. Pesticide use is encouraged whenever infestation is above threshold level.

Birds

• Birds are the main pest of rice and substantially reduce yields
• These should be controlled by scaring
• The most common are Quelea and other weaver birds.

 Weaver bird (Ntchete) 

Source: Dave Montreuil

Green grasshoppers (Bwanoni)

• Bwanoni can be a serious pest in rice fields with yield losses of up to 80%
• They prefer feeding on the grain at milky stage
• Control Bwanoni by spraying Fenitrothion 50 EC at a dilution rate of 136 ml in 14 liters of water for knapsack sprayer or 1 liter of water for ULV sprayer, or Carbaryl 85 WP, 85 g in 14 liters of water for knapsack sprayer or 1 liter of water for ULV sprayer. Pesticide spray is only encouraged when the infestation is above the threshold level

African army worm

• The armyworm can be controlled by using Carbaryl (Sevin) 85WP at the rate of 85g in 14 liters of water for knapsack sprayer or 85g per liter of water for Spinning disc (ULV)
• Fenvalerate (Sumicidin) 20EC at the rate of 13ml in14 liters of water for knapsack sprayer or 13ml per liter for ULV and Fenitrothion (Sumithion) 50EC at the rate of 136ml in 14 liters of water for knapsack sprayer or 136ml in one liter of water for ULV
• Steward 150 EC at the rate of Carbaryl 85 WP at the rate of 1 sachet (85 g) in 14 liters of water for knapsack sprayer or 1 liter of water for ULV sprayer at seedling emergence and 9 to 10 weeks after transplanting
• Lebaycid (Fenthion) 1ml in 1 liter of water using either ULV or knapsack sprayer
• Other moths can be controlled at seedling emergence in dibbled rice, and at 3 weeks and 6 weeks after transplanting
• Control Armyworm as it appears.
• All these pesticides are used whenever the infestation level is above threshold level.