W. Visayas rice farmers urged to prepare for 5 major pests, diseases

ILOILO CITY — Rice farmers in Western Visayas are being advised to strengthen field monitoring and adopt preventive measures as agricultural authorities warned of the possible occurrence of five major rice pests and diseases during the third quarter of 2026.

The Department of Agriculture’s Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) in Western Visayas issued a pest advisory based on historical data covering the period from July to September, identifying bacterial leaf blight, brown planthopper, brown spot, leaf folder and rice stem borer as the most likely threats to rice production across the region.

According to the advisory, the occurrence and severity of these pests and diseases will depend on weather conditions, crop growth stages and farm management practices.

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READ: Brown spot remains top rice disease in Western Visayas

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The RCPC said bacterial leaf blight may affect rice fields in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo, particularly during the booting-to-dough stage of the crop. The disease is more likely to develop in susceptible rice varieties, fields with excessive nitrogen and magnesium application, dense plant spacing, damp and windy conditions, and after prolonged drought followed by heavy rains.

Farmers were advised to monitor fields regularly, maintain proper drainage, practice synchronous planting, avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer usage, and remove infected crop residues after harvest.

The advisory also warned of possible outbreaks of brown planthopper in Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo from the seedling to dough stage. The insect pest thrives under high temperatures and relative humidity and may become more difficult to control due to the continuous use of certain insecticides.

The crop protection center recommended planting resistant rice varieties, avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilization, practicing intermittent flooding, using biological control agents such as Metarhizium anisopliae, and applying insecticides judiciously.

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Brown spot disease, meanwhile, is expected to pose a risk in Antique, Capiz and Iloilo from the seedling stage until ripening. The disease is associated with nutrient-deficient soils, inadequate water supply, infected seeds and direct-seeded rice production.

To minimize infection, the RCPC advised farmers to improve soil fertility, maintain proper field sanitation and water management, use disease-free or resistant seeds, apply Trichoderma during land preparation, and use registered fungicides when necessary.

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Leaf folder infestation is also possible in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo during the maximum tillering-to-milk stage. The pest is commonly associated with excessive nitrogen fertilizer use, late or unsynchronized planting, and shaded fields.

READ: Negros farmers alerted on possible black bug infestation

Recommended management practices include early monitoring, synchronized planting, weed removal, avoiding excessive nitrogen application, and conserving biological control agents while preventing insecticide overuse that could trigger pest outbreaks.

The advisory likewise identified rice stem borer as another major concern in the same five provinces, particularly from the early tillering to dough stage. Damage during the vegetative stage causes “deadhearts,” while infestation during the reproductive stage results in “whiteheads,” reducing grain yield.

The RCPC noted that field monitoring and egg mass collection have already detected significant populations of striped stemborer (Chilo suppressalis) in the Iloilo municipalities of Pototan and Dingle.

To reduce damage, farmers were encouraged to conduct regular field inspections, destroy egg masses, practice synchronous planting, maintain field sanitation, observe fallow periods, plant resistant varieties, and release beneficial egg parasitoids such as Trichogramma japonicum.

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The crop protection center urged farmers to report unusual pest or disease occurrences to local agriculture offices to enable early intervention and help minimize production losses during the wet-season cropping period./coa