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How to Control Rice Planthoppers
Jul 17,2026
What Are Rice Planthoppers?
Rice planthoppers are one of the most destructive pests in rice production. They reproduce rapidly, like locusts, and if control measures are not taken in time, they can cause severe outbreaks.
Female planthoppers reproduce extremely quickly, laying dozens of eggs at a time. Their lifespan is short, and their population can grow rapidly in a short period. If not controlled in time, the infestation can spread throughout the entire rice field, causing significant crop losses.
In addition to direct feeding damage, planthoppers can also carry plant viruses. Infected rice plants will show disease symptoms, leading to poor plant growth and reduced yield.
How to Prevent Field: Preventative management helps reduce the risk of severe rice planthopper outbreaks.
- Adjust Sowing Time
Early sowing can be chosen.
- Avoid Planting Late-Maturing Varieties
Selecting rice varieties with high insect resistance is an effective method.
- Rational Fertilization
Scientific fertilizer and water management, increasing the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers and organic fertilizers, enhances the toughness and stress resistance of rice stems. Avoid excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer to prevent excessive vegetative growth of rice leaves.
Field Monitoring
Rice planthoppers are migratory insects. They typically cause the most damage during the tillering to booting stages of rice. In many producing areas, seasonal winds and rains introduce rice planthoppers into the field.
Adults are attracted to light and prefer young, tender rice plants. Nymphs usually congregate at the lower part of the stem, sucking plant sap.
Regular inspections are recommended, especially after strong winds or rainfall.
During field inspections, focus on the middle and lower parts of the rice plants. Pay special attention to fields with vigorous growth.
The white tray sampling method can be used to estimate the number of rice planthoppers in the field. When the rice planthopper population reaches approximately 500-800 per 100 rice plants, chemical control should be considered.
Application during the early nymphal stage is usually most effective.
Control Measures
Biological control and chemical pesticide control are options for managing rice planthoppers.
Biological Control
Biological control measures can be used as part of an integrated management program to help suppress rice planthopper populations.
For example: ducks, fish, crabs, and frogs. These natural enemies help reduce pest populations in suitable rice production systems.
Chemical Control
Rice planthoppers are migratory pests capable of causing sudden outbreaks. In cases of severe infestation, chemical insecticides are typically used to rapidly reduce pest numbers.
Commonly used active ingredients include:
Flonicamid (low-toxicity formulation)
Pre-harvest interval (PHI): 21 days; maximum of 1 application per crop season. Maintain a 3–5 cm water layer in the field for 5–7 days. Toxic to aquatic organisms; prohibited in rice fields co-cultured with fish, shrimp, or crabs; prohibited during the flowering period of nearby flowering plants; prohibited in areas where natural enemies like *Trichogramma* wasps are released; apply away from silkworm rearing areas.
Buprofezin (low-toxicity formulation)
PHI: 21 days; maximum of 2 applications per crop season. Apply away from aquaculture areas, rivers, ponds, and other water bodies. Prohibited in rice fields co-cultured with fish, shrimp, or crabs; take care to protect natural enemies such as *Trichogramma* wasps.
Flonicamid + Imidacloprid (low-toxicity formulation)
PHI: 30 days; maximum of 2 applications per crop season. Highly toxic to silkworms and honeybees; prohibited in beekeeping areas and during the flowering period of flowering plants; apply away from aquaculture areas, river sources, and other water bodies; do not wash application equipment in rivers, ponds, or other waters; prohibited in rice fields co-cultured with shrimp or crabs; prohibited in areas where *Trichogramma* wasps or other natural enemies are released
Dinotefuran (low-toxicity formulation)
PHI: 21 days; maximum of 1 application per crop season. Toxic to honeybees, silkworms, and aquatic organisms; prohibited near flowering plants; prohibited near silkworm rearing rooms and mulberry orchards; prohibited in areas where *Trichogramma* wasps are released; prohibited in rice fields co-cultured with fish, shrimp, or crabs; do not wash application equipment in rivers, ponds, or other waters.
Related Information
Knowledge Base
How to Control Rice Planthoppers
Rice planthoppers are among the most destructive pests in rice production. They reproduce rapidly—much like locusts—and can cause severe outbreaks if control measures are not implemented in time.
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Within the agricultural sector, crop diseases are primarily caused by three major categories of pathogens: viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Among these, fungal diseases account for more than 30% of all cases. Moreover, during the disease control process, fungal pathogens are continuously developing resistance to treatments. Azoxystrobin—a widely used and relatively common fungicide—is a prime example; however, fungi have developed significant resistance to it. Consequently, its efficacy has diminished in recent times. Today, we recommend an alternative fungicide—Trifloxystrobin—which offers superior fungicidal performance compared to Azoxystrobin.
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