1. Influence of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) on the Incidence of Insect Pests T. Ratna Sudhakar and P. Narsimha Reddy Principal Scientist (Entom.) and Senior Scientist (Br.) Rice Section, Agricultural Research Institute Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500 030. Andhra Pradesh

3. Southern Telangana Zone Districts: 3  Ranga Reddy  Ranga Reddy  Nalgonda  Nalgonda  Mahaboobnagar  Mahaboobnagar Irrigation source:  Wells, bore wells, tanks, and minor irrigation projects  Wells, bore wells, tanks, and minor irrigation projects Cropping situation: Rice – rice; Rice-fallow; Rice-vegetables Rice – oil seeds; Rice-maize Soils: black clay soils, red loamy soils, chelka soils Rainfall : 700 mm

4. Materials and Methods Irrigation Source: Open well Variety: RNR 23064 during Kharif 2006 Tellahamsa during Rabi 2005-06 Tellahamsa during Rabi 2005-06 Spacing: 25 x 25 cm for SRI 15 x 15 cm for normal method 15 x 15 cm for normal method Insect pests: Whorl maggot, hispa, thrips, stem borer, and gall midge Replications: 7 in Kharif and 6 in Rabi Yield attributes: Number of healthy grains/panicles Number of chaffy grains/panicles Number of chaffy grains/panicles Grain yield (t/ha) Grain yield (t/ha)

5. RESULTS Occurrence of insect pests with SRI & normal methods StageNormalSRI NurseryThripsThrips Hispa Stem borer Gall midge Whorl maggot Total:51 Contd…

8. StageNormalSRI Main field Whorl maggot HispaHispa ThripsThrips Stem borer Gall midge Leaf folder Cut worms Rodents (veg. stage) - Rodents (reproductive stage) Rodents (reproduc- tive stage) 98 Total149

13. Incidence of early-stage insect pests ParticularsDATNormalSRI Whorl maggot-damaged leaves (%) 242.04.4 Hispa-damaged leaves (%) 247.34.2 Thrips-damaged leaves (%) 2431.619.9

14. Incidence of stem borer SeasonParticularsDATNormalSRI Kharif – 2006 Dead hearts (%) 37 2.1 2.1 0.5 0.5 - do - - do -53 4.9 4.9 1.9 1.9 - do - 68 6.2 6.2 6.0 6.0 White ears (%) 13511.7 3.5 3.5 Total24.911.9 Mean 6.2 6.2 2.9 2.9 Rabi 2005-06 Dead hearts (%) 5528.122.8 White ears (%) 8633.610.4 Total61.733.2 Mean30.816.6

15. Incidence of gall midge (%) SeasonParticularsTimeNormalSRI Kharif – 2006 Silver shoots 530.30.4 - do - - do - - do -680.51.3 Total0.81.7 Mean0.40.8

16. Grain yield (t/ha) SeasonNormalSRI Kharif 2006 * 0.21 4.16 Rabi 2005-06 2.253.47 * Low yield due to cold injury

17. Meteorological data & sowing time particulars. ParticularsNormalSRI Date of sowing 11-8-200611-8-2006 Date of planting 11-9-200625-8-2006 Date of harvesting 8-1-20078-1-2007 Meteorological dataPeriod Mean max. 0 C Mean min. 0 C No. of sunshine hours 1 st – 15 th Nov-06 27.719.24.9 16 th – 30 th Nov-06 29.617.97.5 1 st – 15 th Dec-06 29.114.68.6 16 th – 31 st Dec- 06 28.1 12.2 + 8.6 + Sudden drop in min. temp. between 16 th – 21 st Dec.-06 (9.2 to 9.8 0 C for 5 days)

18. Conclusions  Less number of insect pests were associated from seed to seed with SRI than with normal methods  Damage of whorl maggot was high in SRI. Hispa and thrips incidence was less  Stem borer and gall midge incidence was more with SRI at vegetative phase while occurrence of white ears was low  Grain yield was more in SRI  SRI escaped partially from cold snap and is the best alternative for at-risk locations to escape cold (during November – December) under late-planted conditions, e.g., August, for medium-duration varieties.

19. Future research requirements to generate crop-protection technologies for SRI ► Nursery protection technologies to protect crop until 25-30 days in main field from early-stage insects ► Need-based protection against stem borer and gall midge during 35-70 days after transplanting and at reproductive phase ► Schedule for release of Trichogramma Sp. to manage stem borer at vegetative phase ► Develop non-pesticide methods for the management of insect pests under SRI ► Provide low-cost & safe IPM package for SRI

20. Acknowledgements ► ANGRAU university officers ► Rice Section staff ► WWF - for financial support ► Farmers – for SRI adoption/promotion

21. Thank you