Spring rice crops are developing slowly due to cold weather and are being affected by pests and diseases.
By this time, the spring rice crop in Nghe An province has been largely sown and planted. However, due to continuous severe cold weather, the rice crop is developing poorly in many areas.
Complete the rice cultivation area for the spring crop.
By this time, spring rice production has been largely completed in key rice-growing districts and lowland, delta districts. This year, many localities have even exceeded their production targets thanks to favorable irrigation conditions. Of this, the area of direct-seeded rice is over 40,000 hectares. In addition, spring rice production is still ongoing in mountainous districts.
However, one adverse factor affecting production in recent days is the frequent occurrence of severe cold weather, which has impacted the growth and development of the spring rice crop. Many rice plants that were sown and transplanted have experienced slow growth, or even stopped growing altogether, due to the cold.
In addition, although not widespread, some pests and diseases such as thrips and yellow leaf disease have begun to appear in the districts of Nam Dan, Yen Thanh, and Dien Chau… This is due to organic poisoning combined with the effects of successive cold and gloomy weather during the period when the rice was newly sown and transplanted.
This spring, Do Luong district planted nearly 8,500 hectares of rice. Currently, the rice has taken root and entered the tillering stage. Farmers are focusing on thinning, fertilizing, and providing the first round of care. Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh from Thinh Son commune, whose family has 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of rice sown directly, shared: "The rice is developing well, with 2-3 leaves already, but the continuous rain and cold weather in recent days have made me very worried about pests and diseases."
"Before sowing, I applied lime to the rice plants, and recently I also sprayed insecticide to kill golden apple snails. However, this weather often leads to pests and diseases, so I have to constantly monitor the plants and promptly detect rice blast disease on the leaves to control it," Ms. Minh said.
Mr. Phan Duc Han, Director of the Hung Chinh Agricultural Service Cooperative (Hung Nguyen district), said: This spring, the cooperative cultivated 72 hectares of rice. Currently, 30 hectares of transplanted rice are developing very well, but the area of direct-seeded rice is showing signs of yellowing leaves and dying in patches.
Focus on care and pest control.
In particular, this year's spring crop is being produced under conditions where rats are accumulating and causing significant damage. Although the province has provided biological rat poison to localities for widespread control, this pest continues to thrive and multiply.
Furthermore, as an introduced invasive species for farming, the golden apple snail has proliferated in recent years and become a widespread pest, affecting almost every region; significantly impacting aquatic animals and causing ecological imbalance in rice fields. Due to the frequent and continuous use of chemical pesticides, some types of pesticides are now showing signs of reduced effectiveness in controlling the pest.
According to investigations by the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, golden apple snails have caused damage to 144 hectares, with 1 hectare severely infested; rats have caused localized damage to a total area of over 107 hectares, and local authorities have implemented control measures on over 382 hectares.
In addition, 200 hectares of rice in Hung Nguyen district and Vinh city have been affected by root nematode disease, with 20 hectares severely infected. Some areas in Nghia Dan and Yen Thanh districts have also been damaged by thrips and aphids.
Recently, after inspecting spring rice production in several localities, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van De requested the Department of Agriculture and local authorities to coordinate closely to ensure sufficient water supply for farmers to care for their rice crops. At the same time, he assigned officials to monitor the fields, regularly inspect, detect, and guide farmers in timely and effective pest and disease control. Particular attention should be paid to major pests such as rice blast, golden apple snails, leaf-rolling caterpillars, and rats, so that timely control measures can be implemented depending on the development, density, and stage of the crop.
