Panaji: A recurring Gundhi bug infestation has been threatening paddy yields in South Goa, with estimates that 3% to 5% of the district’s 5,200 hectares under Kharif cultivation may be affected.The pest, scientifically known as Leptocorisa acuta or the rice earhead bug, has expanded beyond its minor-pest classification in recent years, crossing critical economic threshold levels during field inspections, according to zonal agricultural officer (ZAO) Margao, Sheriff Furtado. Furtado attributed the pest’s emergence to “fluctuating humidity levels.”“The total gross cultivated area in Salcete is 19,598 hectares, with paddy being the important crop cultivated in the low-lying fields, spreading an area of around 7,200 hectares in both kharif and rabi seasons. Kharif paddy is mostly rainfed and is still transplanted by hand in some pockets. Over the past few years, the incidence of the minor pest Gundhi bug has crossed bigger proportions and threshold levels, thereby reducing yields,” said Furtado.He said that during the crop’s flowering, milky and grain-filling stages, farmers should remain alert for the “sap-sucking insect pest which can cause considerable damage to developing rice grains” when its population increases.“Damage during the milky stage is particularly important because feeding directly affects grain development and ultimately reduces yield and grain quality. Farmers should therefore inspect their fields regularly as soon as the panicles emerge,” he said.The insect can survive on grasses and other alternate hosts around rice fields. Weedy bunds and unmanaged grasses can therefore act as reservoirs for the pest to move into the paddy crop.The ZAO urged farmers to watch for Gundhi bug damage, including brown or discoloured husk patches, puncture marks, shrivelled or chaffy grains, and erect panicles caused by poorly developed, lightweight grains. “In severe infestation, a large proportion of grains may remain unfilled. A characteristic unpleasant buggy smell may be noticed when the insects are abundant or disturbed in the field,” he said.He advised farmers to follow an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, combining preventive, cultural, mechanical, biological and need-based plant protection measures rather than resorting to insecticides to keep pest populations below economically damaging levels.“The presence of bugs should be assessed before taking any control measure. An economic threshold of approximately 1 nymph/adult per hill is reported in recent rice IPM literature. Since thresholds can vary with crop stage and local conditions, farmers should immediately contact officials before deciding on chemical control,” he added.
