Farmers are being urged to take proactive measures against pest infestations expected in early 2025 with the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) recommending strategies to minimize crop damage and yield losses.

Historical data from 1994 to 2024 compiled by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) identified rodents, brown planthoppers (BPH), rice stem borers, bacterial leaf blight (BLB), and rice black bugs (RBB) as the top threats to rice crops, with Central Luzon being particularly vulnerable. The Bicol Region is also projected to face severe infestations, especially from rodents and BLB.

Rodents, which consume 10-12% of their body weight daily and can damage 30-300 tillers per night, may cause yield losses ranging from 5% to 90%. High infestations are anticipated in Central Luzon, Western Visayas, and Bicol.

In a recent radio interview, PhilRice crop protection expert Leonardo V. Marquez advised farmers to adopt an integrated pest management approach, including synchronous planting, clearing field dikes, filling burrows with a water-mud mixture, organizing rat hunting programs, and applying rodenticides such as zinc phosphide (Zn₃P₂) and coumatetralyl (C₁₉H₁₆O₃) during crop establishment.

Meanwhile, BPH infestations, which cause hopperburn or brown patches on dried plants, are expected in Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas. To manage BPH, farmers are encouraged to maintain a 20cm x 20cm planting distance, avoid artificial light sources near seedbeds, use early-maturing varieties, and practice balanced fertilization by splitting nitrogen applications into three stages.

Another major concern is rice stem borers, which cause deadheart or shoot drying during early growth and whiteheads or whitening during heading to flowering stage. Marquez emphasized the timely application of insecticides since larvae and pupae reside inside the stem, making them difficult to control.

In Bicol and Central Luzon, BLB infections, which result in wilting, yellowing, and drying of leaves, are expected to spread. PhilRice recommends using clean and resistant seed varieties, minimizing transplanting injuries, and avoiding excessive nitrogen use.

The sap-feeding rice black bug (RBB), which attacks crops at almost all growth stages, threatens Central Luzon, CALABARZON, and Western Visayas. Recommended control measures include synchronous planting, direct seeding, using resistant varieties, and setting up light traps.

PhilRice emphasized the importance of regular field monitoring, weed removal, and proper disposal of diseased plants to prevent pest outbreaks. Farmers needing assistance can consult their local agriculture offices, PhilRice, or BPI for guidance on integrated pest management strategies.

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Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is a government corporate entity attached to the Department of Agriculture created through Executive Order 1061 on 5 November 1985 (as amended) to help develop high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos.

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Philippine Rice Research Institute