Rice thrips

Caused by: Thrips oryzae
Problem Category: Sucking insect pest
Symptoms: : Both nymphs and adults feed on the plant sap from tender leaves. The leaf tips of the affected plants fade and roll up. It is a serious pest during the dry season. Losses can reach 100% if the infestation is severe in the first 20 days in case of direct seeded paddy.
Comments: The minute adult has slender body and is dark brown in colour. It exists in two forms – Winged and wingless. Winged forms have narrow fringed wings with long hairs. Female lays eggs individually in the slits of leaf blade tissue, about 25 eggs in her life span of two weeks. Eggs are very tiny, hyaline when freshly laid and turn pale yellow towards maturation. Young larvae are colour less. They become pale yellow in the later stage. The pupa has long wing pads that reach two thirds the length of the abdomen. Pupa is brown in colour.
Management: 1. Flooding to submerge the infested field for 2 days. Encourage natural enemies. 2. Spraying 5% extract of vitex leaves or 3% Neem oil. 3. Dasaparni - Decoction of 3% extract of different types of leaves with insecticidal properties used for spraying.
Control: