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Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Information campaign against rice black bug held
HOW to identify the rice black bug (RBB) from other insect pests and ways to control them are given emphasis during the information campaign being conducted by the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division (Rafid) and the Regional Crop and Protection Center (RCPC) of the Department of Agriculture.
The information campaign was conducted in the different barangays in Conception, Iloilo.
During the information campaign, Emilia Llabores of RCPC recommended to the farmers the use of metarhizium and light traps to control rice black bug. Metarhizium is a biological control while light traps are used two to three days before and after full moon. Light traps attract RBB at night. Synchronous planting and the use of early maturing varieties are also recommended to control RBB.
Farmers are reminded always to report to their Agricultural Technicians (Ats) or to the office of Municipal Agriculturist whenever there are RBB sightings in the fields.
The monitoring team of RCPC visited Dingle, Pototan, and Barotac Viejo but there was no presence of RBB in the ricefields. In Ajuy and Conception, the area planted to rice was 50-60% while 80-90% in Dingle, Pototan and San Dionisio.
The municipality of Concepcion, together with the other municipalities such as Ajuy, San Dionisio, Sara, and Dingle were infested with rice black bug in March this year. As of July 12, the monitoring team of RCPC reported that areas with RBB sightings cover 1,616 hectares in 29 barangays of Ajuy, Concepcion, and San Dionisio. Ajuy was the first municipality to be infested by RBB.
There are two kinds of rice black bug -- the Malayan and Japanese. RBBs are 7 millimeter long and 4.5 millimeter wide. The life span of RBB is three weeks to seven months. A female RBB can lay 200 eggs.
The Rafid and RCPC will conduct the information campaign activities in other municipalities of Iloilo such as Dingle, Passi City, Sara, Pototan and San Dionisio.
In baranagays Agnaga, Calamigan and Batiti, the farmers' housewives and out of school youths were briefed regarding rice black bug. Information materials regarding RBB are distributed during the information campaign in Concepcion, Iloilo. All the barangay Captains and some barangay 'kagawad' attended the activity. (Theresa A. Gerafil/Rafid 6)
(July 25, 2006 issue)
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