Prevention of blast disease in spring rice

(Baonghean) -Prolonged cloudy weather and high humidity have caused rice blast disease to develop strongly, causing harm to the growth of spring rice. Although localities and farmers have actively prevented it, rice blast disease is still threatening spring rice.

For more than 2 weeks now, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tu in Hamlet 5 - Hung Tan Commune (Hung Nguyen) has been restless because her 2 sao of AC5 rice field, which had just entered the tillering period, was infected with rice blast disease. Ms. Tu said: "At first, only a few patches appeared with dry tops, but just a few days later, the disease spread rapidly throughout the entire field. Although we sprayed pesticides according to the recommendations of the commune officials, because of the prolonged drizzle, the spraying of pesticides was interrupted, and the pesticides had difficulty resisting the spread of the disease."

Currently, the spring rice area in Hung Tan commune is in the tillering and tillering period. According to Mr. Le Nguyen Nhuan - Chairman of Hung Tan Cooperative: In the spring crop of 2014, the commune planted 274 hectares of AC5, Xi 33, XT28, and Nep line 87 varieties. Rice blast disease appeared on March 5th sporadically on the AC5 variety in hamlets 1 and 9. By March 22nd, it had spread to about 100 hectares (AC5 variety alone accounted for over 70 hectares); of which more than 1 hectare was severely infected, 1 sao had 5-7m2 of burnt leaves. Recently, the Plant Protection Station has also coordinated with the District Agricultural Extension Station to organize training and propaganda for farmers on rice care measures and pest control in winter-spring rice. At the same time, the Commune Agriculture Board also strengthens information and propaganda work so that farmers can promptly grasp the situation of pests and diseases as well as timely solutions to prevent and control pests and diseases to ensure effective prevention...

Farmers in Hung Tan commune (Hung Nguyen) spray pesticides to prevent rice blast disease on spring rice.

Mr. Hoang Duc An - Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture of Hung Nguyen district said: Due to the gradually warming weather, foggy nights and early mornings, alternating sunshine and rain, up to now, in Hung Nguyen fields, there have been 321 hectares of rice infected with leaf blast disease in most rice fields, especially on AC5, Xi23, IR 1280 varieties... with a rate of 10-20%, locally severe areas up to 30%; common disease level 1-3, some local areas level 5-7. In particular, communes with heavily infected areas such as Hung Tan, Hung Thong, Hung Thang, Hung Tay, Hung Nhan... have had some burnt rice areas. Areas with high density planting, unbalanced fertilization, and excess nitrogen fertilization have a higher rate of infection and more severe disease levels than fields with low density and reasonable fertilization.

Faced with that situation, the District People's Committee issued an official dispatch on proactive prevention of rice blast disease that harms spring rice. However, through inspections by the Plant Protection Station and the Department of Agriculture, many communes implemented the disease slowly and lacked determination in directing the work. Propaganda work on the radio system was not guaranteed; some households sprayed pesticides not according to the district's recommendations, sprayed the wrong dosage, and sprayed at the wrong time. In particular, the situation of not following the "four correct" principles in spraying was common, leading to waste, low efficiency, and even causing "reverse effects", making the disease develop more seriously...

In Vinh City, according to data from the Vinh City Plant Protection Station, the 2014 spring rice area of ​​Vinh City is 1,640 hectares. Previously, at the stage of rice taking root and greening, blast disease occurred, and by February 19, 1 hectare was infected. The development of blast disease on spring rice in Vinh City is very complicated, with a rapid spread. By March 20, the area infected with blast disease reached 713.2 hectares. Of which, 15.5 hectares were severely infected, causing scorching, with a rate of 50 - 70% of the leaves. The infected rice area is concentrated in the rice fields of Khanh Hau, Phong Quang, and Phong Dang Cooperatives (Hung Hoa Commune); Hung Dung and Hung Loc Cooperatives... The main infected varieties are XY23, AC5, BTE1, TL6... The disease rate is 3-5%, in high places 20-30%, the average infected area is over 238 hectares, lightly infected 348.5 hectares.

In the spring crop of 2014, the province planted 89,475.6 hectares of rice, including 55,000 hectares of hybrid rice; currently, the rice is in the period of intensive tillering and late tillering, growing rapidly and developing well. However, rice blast disease is spreading rapidly in most rice-growing districts. The disease began to develop strongly from the beginning of March in varieties Xi21, TL6, AC5, Nep... As of March 21, the total area of ​​rice infected in the province was about 1,100 hectares, of which 56 hectares were severely affected and 51 hectares were burned. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Lap - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: "Recently, the foggy weather conditions and high humidity have created favorable conditions for some pests to arise and cause damage.

Although the disease appears at the time of tillering, it is not a concern for productivity, but it is a risk that causes neck blast disease. If not detected and treated promptly, neck blast disease can cause serious damage to productivity, even total loss. It is best for farmers to regularly visit the fields, conduct good investigation and detection work. Absolutely do not apply nitrogen fertilizer or fertilizers containing nitrogen, maintain a reasonable water level in the fields, and spray pesticides when the disease first appears. It is forecasted that in the coming time, warm and sunny weather interspersed with cold air waves accompanied by rain, high humidity are favorable conditions for rice blast disease to arise, spread and cause serious damage.

In order to prevent and control the disease promptly and effectively, and not let the disease spread widely, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued a document directing that in localities where rice blast disease occurs rapidly and complicatedly, in addition to the district agricultural officer, there must be a technical officer from the Agricultural Extension Station and an officer from the Plant Protection Station to closely monitor. Strengthen inspection and management of the business and use of plant protection drugs in the area, promote propaganda about specific drugs to prevent rice blast disease on mass media so that farmers know and choose effective drugs. Localities with large areas of infection and severe levels of infection need to consider allocating local budgets to support the purchase of drugs and organize prevention and control to control and suppress the spread of the disease when it is still limited. The Plant Protection Sub-Department must issue documents to notify and forecast the disease development situation in each locality and propose specific prevention and control measures for localities to implement. It is necessary to select specific drugs in order of priority and only recommend a maximum of 5 drugs for localities to choose from...

Ngoc Anh