The Green Rice Leaf hopper
Scientific Name:
Nephotettix nigropictus
Order:
Hemiptera
Family:
Cicadellidae
Distribution:
It has a wide distribution in all rice growing countries and is known from southern Japan to Oriental region, south to Australia and westward of South Africa, Philippines, Formosa and Sri Lanka.
Host:
Rice, millet and some grasses.
Both the species of grasshopper are greenish and are smaller and slanderer than Sogatella.
Life-cycle:
The biology of these species is similar. The pre-oviposition period is 6-9 days and after that the females start egg laying on the inner surface of the leaf sheath in groups of 3-18. The incubation period is 3-5 days. The nymphal stage takes 12-21days. The longevity of adults is 7-12 days in summer. There are six overlapping generations from March to November. The insect passes winter in adult stage. The pest activity is maximum in July-August and decreases considerably after a heavy rain.
Damage:
Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaf sheath and blade leading to browning of leaves. In case of very severe infestation, it causes' 'hopper burns'. In general, its attack causes uniform yellowing of leaf from tip to the middle half of the leaf. However, serious damage is inflicted when it transmits the virus diseases such as ‘rice dwarf, 'rice yellow dwarf, ‘rice transitory yellowing' and 'rice Tungro? Plants infected with dwarf or stunt virus show symptoms of veins of leaves having a series of white dots on the midribs developing into parallel yellowish streaks. Leaves become chlorotic. The honeydew excreted by hoppers favour multiplication of sooty moulds.
Control:
Same as mentioned under 'Brown Plant Hopper' (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens
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