Belonia, Oct 9 (TIWN): Farmers in deep trouble as paddy fields in South Tripura under massive attack from Brown Plant Hopper pests which posing new threats to the sustainability of intensive rice production.

One of the most devastating pests that threatened the Green Revolution in the 1970s and ’80s was the brown planthopper. Due to sudden pest attack and destruction of crops , farmers are losing their only source of livelihood in South Tripura.

Director of Agriculture asked farmers to use monocrotofus pestiside to spray. But situation is same even after spraying pesticides as per Agriculture Dept Directives.  Hrishyamukh and Rajnagar RD Block area are badly affected .Paddy fields of Nalua,Krishnanagar area  under Hrishyamukh RD Block and Jasmura,Uttar Bharatchandra Nagar area under Rajnagar RD Block  are mostly effected zone of Brown Plant Hoppers.

Farmers found no solutions in their hand yet .Thousands of farmer families on the verge of financial collapse as they borrow money for paddy cultivation and pay back with interest to lenders after selling paddy. The loss amount according to an Agri officer is around few lakh rupees already. DM South Dr Debasish Basu, Sabhadhipathi Himanshu Roy along with  Agri Officers visited the spot and asked Agriculture Department officers to solve the issue as soon as possible on emergency basis. 

Aman agri fields under South Tripura is being attacked by Brown Plant Hopper Pests(BPH). BPH Pests infest the rice crop at all stages of plants growth. As a result of feeding by both nymphs and adults at the base of the tillers, plants turn yellow and dry up rapidly. At early infestation, round, yellow patches appear, which soon turn brownish due to the drying up of the plants. This condition is called 'hopper burn'. Temperature is a critical factor in the life activities of the insect. The hatch ability and survival rate are the highest around 25 °C. Eggs are very sensitive to desiccation and soon shrivel when the host plant starts wilting. The population growth of brown plant hopper is maximum at a temperature range of 28 to 30 °C.Due to this flying area after area aman agri field are burned.

Planthopper destroyed paddy fields in South Tripura. TIWN Pic Oct 9