Brown Plant Hopper (BPH): বাদামি গাছ ফড়িং

Phylum: Arthropoda.

Class. : Insecta.

Order. : Hemiptera.

Family.: Delphacidae.

Genus.: Nilaparvata

Species: N. Lugens

Distribution:It is found in most of the rice track of Bangladesh.

Marks of identification: Adults are ochraceous brown in colour dorsally and deep brown ventrally. Females are larger (5 to 6mm). Than the males (4 to5 mm). The females are dimorphic. Fully winged macropterous and truncated winged brachypterous.

Nature of damage: All the stages of paddy are attacked by this pest. Generally the pest clusters at the base of the plant and feed on the plant sap due to which the plant firstly turns yellow and later on dry up. In the initial stages of infestation round yellow patches on the plant are seen which soon turns brownish due to drying up on the plants. This disease is called us Hopper burn. Which spreads over the entire field. The loss done by this pest is of serious magnitude and sometime cent percent crop is destroyed.

Life History: Compilation lakes place just after the emergence and female starts laying eggs from very next day. The eggs in bunches of 3-10, are thrust within the tissues of the plant.

Along with mid region of the leaf sheath and mid rib of leaves. The average number of eggs laid by a female various between 200-250. The eggs are white elongated and looks like a curved club. They hatch in about 8-10 days. The nymph undergoes five instars within a period of 15-20 days. The total life cycle is completed in about 20-25 days. Which various in the two sixes. The life span of male is 15-20 days and that of female is in 15-30 days. The optimum temperature and humidity for the development and survival of nymph is around 30'c & 70- 80% respectively.

Cultural method: 1. Draining out of water from the infested field is quite effective measure in controlling the pest.

2. Use of resistant variants can also minimize the pest infection.