In 2007, rice pests and diseases such as the rice leaf folder and planthoppers were widespread and severe. The rice leaf folder spread across the Yangtze River basin, Jianghuai region, southwest China, and southern China, marking one of the most intense outbreaks in the past decade. This posed a serious threat to rice production. In response to the Ministry of Agriculture's unified deployment, major rice-producing provinces launched coordinated prevention and control efforts, successfully curbing the spread of the pest. According to official data, the total area treated reached 580 million mu, an increase of 150 million mu compared to the previous year. A total of 9.78 million tons of rice was saved, which was over 4 million tons more than the previous year.
Despite these achievements, several challenges remained. First, the occurrence of pests has increased significantly. In 2007, the national area affected by rice leaf folders reached 390 million mu, up by 127 million mu (a 47% increase) from 2006. The large-scale outbreak covered 170 million mu. The pests exhibited characteristics such as wide distribution, large area, early emergence, high peak density, large moth populations, and long damage periods. Compared to the same period in 2003, the field natural disaster rate reached about 50%, with some areas reaching up to 90%. Preliminary estimates suggest that 850,000 tons of rice were lost due to the damage caused by the rice leaf folder.
Second, farmers often struggled to master effective control methods. The optimal time for controlling the rice leaf folder is during the egg hatching and young larval stages. However, many farmers lacked knowledge on field monitoring, pest identification, and the use of natural enemies, leading to missed opportunities for intervention. Additionally, insufficient technical support, inadequate spraying volume, improper application methods, and the use of unsuitable pesticides all reduced the effectiveness of control measures.
Third, there was excessive reliance on chemical pesticides, causing serious environmental harm. Due to limited support for integrated control methods like biological and physical controls, and insufficient farmer training, many producers continued to rely heavily on chemical pesticides. Large quantities of chemicals were used at high concentrations, and weak oversight allowed the misuse of banned substances like fipronil and pyrethroids, which harmed biodiversity in paddy fields.
In 2008, the rice leaf folder showed signs of resurgence, with prevention and control tasks expected to cover around 400 million mu. To improve control efficiency, reduce the negative impact of traditional methods, and ensure rice production safety, the following steps must be taken:
1. Promote integrated pest management technologies to enhance the ecological environment of rice fields. For example, in Juchao City, Anhui Province, the use of Bt biopesticides effectively controlled the rice leaf folder, achieving an average insecticidal effect of 85.71% and a leaf protection rate of 85.14%. The number of spiders in the demonstration area increased by 36%, improving the natural control of other pests. In Fujian’s Jianyang Demonstration Zone, light traps were used to control pests, reducing larval numbers to just 24% of non-lit areas. The cost was only 41% of chemical control, offering a sustainable and eco-friendly solution.
2. Introduce new agents like profenofos for control. Studies show that 40% profenofos EC is highly effective, with applications between the peak egg hatching and young larval stages. At 80–100 g per acre, it achieves over 90% control of young larvae and more than 95% control of planthoppers. It also targets other pests and outperforms traditional pesticides in terms of safety and effectiveness. In 2007, training sessions helped promote this method, and in provinces like Hunan, Anhui, Shanghai, and Jiangxi, it became a preferred choice among farmers and technicians. Its large-scale success has been widely recognized.
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