Integrated pest management of leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guen.

) in rice
M. Punithavalli1 and M. Balaji Rajkumar2 1 Scientist, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 2 Scientist, Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Rice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guen.) is a sporadic pest in many rice growing areas before the introduction of nitrogen responsive high yielding varieties. With the expansion in rice growing areas due to new irrigation systems, multiple rice cropping, high yielding varieties, non-judicious use of insecticides and high level application of nitrogenous fertilizer led the pest has attained major pest status. In addition, cloudy weather with low sunlight favours pest build-up. The pest has recorded to cause 63- 80% loss in yield of rice.
Symptoms of damage

The larvae before to feeding fold the leaves longitudinally and fasten leaf margins with stitches of silken thread. Then the larvae feeds inside the fold by scrapping the soft mesophyll tissues, resulting in linear pale white strip patches on leaves. Each leaf blade may contain several feeding streaks. Each larva can fold two to four leaves. There are many folded leaves could be seen on each plant during severe infestation. The severely infested leaves become dry and field appears to be scorched. The damage is more conspicuous during active tillering to booting stage. Heavy yield loss occurs when the flag leaves are damaged.
Bionomics of rice leaffolder

Adult moth is yellow brown in colour with several dark wavy lines on the wings. Each female able to lays about 300 eggs which are ovoid, disc-shaped and are in batches of 10-12 in a parallel manner on the midrib either on the upper or lower leaf surfaces. Eggs become from transparent to a cream colour as they mature. The incubation is 3-4 days. The mature larva is yellowish green with dark brown heads, and is about 12-25 mm long. The larvae turn whitish orange just before pupation, and then spins a silken-web loop around them to form a cocoon of 9-12 mm size. The larval period is about 19-25 days and the pupal period lasts for 6-10 days. Life cycle is completed with in 25-30 days.

Management practices

Judicious application of recommended dose of nitrogenous fertilizer during growing season. Early planting and wider spacing may help to reduce the greater degree of damage by leaffolder. Remove the alternate host plants like Brachiaria mutica, Echinochloa colana, Eleucene coracana, Leersia hexandra and some weed plants to prevent the buildup of rice leaf folders.

Planting the leaffolder resistant varieties like TNAU LFR 831311, TKM 6, Cauveri, Akash, IET 7511, IET 9225 and IET 9797 in the pest prone areas. Release the egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis (Tricho Card) @ 5 cc / ha on 37, 41 and 51 days after transplanting. Spray any one of the following insecticides: Cartap hydrochloride 50 SP @ 2 gm/lit or Profenofos 50 EC @ 1.5 ml/lit or Chlorpyrifos 20 EC @ 2 ml/lit or Indoxacarb 15.8 EC @ 0.7 ml/lit or Azadirachtin 10,000 ppm @ 2 ml/lit of water. Add any of the sticking agent @ 1 ml per litre of water along with the insecticides.

Avoid excess application of Carbofuran and Phorate as far as possible as these were reported to cause resurgence of the pest.