The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs convened a field conference on the integration of unified pest management and green pest control, mobilizing and deploying measures to prevent and control major rice diseases and pests.

　　On July 4, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs convened a field conference in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, on the integration of unified pest and disease management with green control measures for rice. The meeting summarized and shared practices and experiences from across the country in managing early‑season rice pests and diseases, analyzed and assessed the outlook for major pests and diseases affecting mid‑ and late‑season rice, and mobilized and deployed monitoring and control efforts. The conference stressed that all localities must implement and refine all preventive and control measures, vigorously promote the integration of unified pest and disease management with green control, and make every effort to safeguard a bountiful harvest by protecting crops from pest damage.
　　The meeting concluded that Party committees and governments at all levels have attached great importance to the prevention and control of crop diseases and pests, while agricultural and rural departments have acted promptly and implemented concrete measures. By strengthening monitoring and early warning systems and adopting practices such as water‑logging to kill pupae, physical and chemical trapping and control, and the judicious use of pesticides, they have vigorously promoted the integration of unified pest management with green pest‑control approaches. To date, disease and pest control has been carried out on 220 million mu‑times for early rice, with a compliance rate exceeding 95%, effectively curbing the resurgence of serious threats such as the stem borer and the “two‑migration” rice pests. These efforts have firmly ensured stable yields and a bumper harvest, enabling early rice to achieve the target of keeping damage losses below 5%.
　　The meeting noted that, at present, pest and disease outbreaks in most mid- and late-season rice‑growing areas are significantly more severe than last year, with many pests and diseases already reaching levels indicative of moderate to severe infestations. Rice‑borne “two‑migration” pests have already affected 89.7 million mu‑times, with widespread outbreaks reported in parts of the Southwest, South China, and the Jiangnan region; moreover, the migration period in the Yangtze River Basin has arrived 20 to 30 days earlier than usual. Coupled with adverse factors such as abnormal weather conditions that have triggered a surge in pest and disease activity, this year’s prevention and control efforts face formidable challenges.
　　The meeting emphasized that all localities must attach great importance to this issue in their thinking, ensure coordinated efforts from top to bottom in action, and adopt a range of practical measures to wage a decisive battle to protect grain yields from pest damage, thereby minimizing harm and losses and securing the initiative for a bountiful harvest of mid- and late-season rice. First, it is essential to conduct a thorough assessment of risk points where diseases and pests could escalate into full-blown outbreaks, promptly analyze the current situation regarding pest and disease incidence and identify weak links in prevention and control, and implement targeted early warning and preventive measures to ensure that control strategies are fully in place. Second, based on actual conditions of pest and disease occurrence, refine contingency plans, make timely adjustments to control measures, and enhance the precision and effectiveness of interventions. Third, increase the density of smart monitoring and forecasting facilities and equipment, improve the monitoring and early-warning network, integrate and promote comprehensive green pest‑management technologies, and make rational choices of highly effective, low‑risk solutions. Pesticide , thereby enhancing the effectiveness of prevention and control. Fourth, we must coordinate and make full use of central government subsidies for pest and disease control, actively seek support from local governments, encourage farmers and other producers to increase their investments, and vigorously promote the integration of unified pest management with green control measures, thus raising the level of organized implementation and scientific rigor. Fifth, we must focus on critical periods and address weak links by strengthening supervision and guidance, ensuring that preventive and control measures are fully implemented; under no circumstances should inadequate monitoring or untimely response lead to large-scale outbreaks and widespread damage caused by pests and diseases.

Source: JinNong.com, JinNong Account Self-Media Center; Author: News Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs