A view of the paddy field at the Hyderabad Farming Collective where the farm staff can be seen bundling and adding stick support to the fallen paddy stalk post heavy rain. 

Rice fields, or paddy fields, are undoubtedly one of the most significant field crops in India. It is a staple food for almost half of the world’s population, with people depending on it for their livelihood. Beyond its economic value, the crop holds great cultural significance – from its occurrence in mythological stories to its presence in almost every Indian festival! Over millennia, thousands of rice varieties have been grown in and developed in India – a mark of our connection with this simple source of energy and the land it grows in.

Rice fields are of great ecological importance too! Rice is nothing but a type of grass. Grasslands are known to host diverse wildlife and act as carbon sinks, keeping the air clean while also supporting the process of ecological succession of a food forest. Paddy fields also help in maintaining rural landscapes and increasing their value over time. However, these rich crops are prone to many pest attacks. How you deal with them can make or break your paddy field ecosystem. Eco-sensitive approach to pest management in a rice field can in turn bring opportunities for animals, birds and insects to come in and around your paddy fields. This not only increases the biodiversity of your micro-landscape but also helps your field to grow healthy and yield well.

Let’s understand which pests affect paddy fields and how can they be controlled naturally.

8 Major Pests in Paddy Fields 

It takes 120 days on average for rice to grow after sowing. Various parts of a rice plant are prone to different kinds of pests depending on their lifecycle needs. Some like to bore into the stem and take shelter, some like to much on leaves, and some like to feast on the grain. This can lead to damage to crops and a decrease in yield. In addition, some pests also have ‘peak’ seasons during which their attacks are dramatically more than the rest of the year. So understanding the ecosystems of each pest can help you figure out the best natural control method for your farm.

1. Rice Stem Borers

Stem borers, make up a predominant group of insect pests in all rice-growing countries. Variations in stem borers can be seen across different geographical regions in India; yellow stem borers, white stem borers, dark-headed borers, and pink borers, to name a few. Their common name is derived from the fact that the larvae of these creatures quite literally ‘bore’ into the stem of the rice plant, slowly consuming the inner tissues and living in the hollows created. Their uncontrolled growth in a rice field can stunt the growth of plants, produce fewer grains and in extreme cases can completely damage the crop.

2. Lead Folders

The larvae of leaf folders produce a sticky substance to tie the rice leaves together and form a safe space for them to live in. While it does not physically damage the leaf, it prevents sunlight from reaching the entire leaf, thereby reducing its photosynthetic capacity. The consequent wilting and yellowing hinder the growth of the rice plant. 

3. Rice Bugs

With several species of rice, come several species of rice bugs, including rice stink bugs and rice ear bugs. These critters are ready to munch on the freshly-forming grain. Their feast, however, comes at a huge cost to the farmer. 

4. Gall Midges

Gall midge larvae form galls, or abnormal growths, on the rice plant. These abnormal growths stop the nutrients from reaching the entire plant, making it weak and unfit for growth.

5. Plant Hoppers

Plant hoppers feed on the sap of the rice plant and suck out the nutrients from it. This feeding can cause direct damage to the plant, as well as transmit viruses and diseases.

6. Mealybugs

These tiny mealy bugs feed on the plant tissues for nourishment, causing yellowing and wilting of leaves, as well as stunting of the plant.

7. Weevils

Rice weevils are a type of beetle that can infest stored rice grains, causing damage and reducing the quality of the grain. The adult weevils lay eggs in the grain, and the larvae feed on the inner tissues, creating tunnels and causing the grain to become discoloured and shrivelled. Rice weevils can be controlled through proper storage and handling of rice, such as keeping it cool and dry, and using fumigation or other pest control methods as needed.

8. Rats

A common rodent pest that often causes trouble in a rice field, rats feed on the grain and seed of the rice plant, resulting in reduced yield. Even beyond a rice field, rats can damage irrigation systems and cause long-term damage to paddy fields.

Natural Pest Control Methods in a Paddy Field

Using chemical pesticides not only harms them directly but also harms the soil in which our food grows. The more the use of chemical pesticides, the more human input.

We believe every creature has a role to play in the larger picture, and though these pests come with trouble to your crop, they have a purpose to fulfil too. Therefore, understanding them and their own little ecosystem can help us formulate natural ways of diverting them from our fields so that they can play their rightful role in the larger web of life. Each creature is associated with many others, in multiple ways. So the presence of a pest can bring some important creatures along, which can indirectly help the growth of your field.

1. Cultural practices

Crop rotation –  where different crops are planted in a sequence on the same land, usually over several growing seasons.

Intercropping – where two or more crops are grown together in the same field. For example, farmers may plant rice and legumes, such as beans or peas, together in the same field.

Planting early-maturing varieties or resilient varieties – Research institutes such as Central Rice Research Institute work towards developing improved rice varieties which are pest resistant.

A combination of the above practices can help reduce the population of rice stem borers in a paddy field. These practices can disrupt the pest’s life cycle and make it difficult for them to find suitable hosts.

2. Biological Control 

Parasitic wasps, predatory insects and birds are natural enemies of stem borers and keep the borer and bug population in check. Introducing these natural enemies into the paddy field, or allowing them to come in naturally by growing plants or trees that attract them, can be an effective method of biological control. In addition, these natural enemies help the environment by pollination and seed dispersal. The presence of snakes also helps to keep rodents and other pests in check.

3. Traps

Pheromone traps can be used to attract and trap male pests, preventing them from mating and laying eggs, thereby curbing their population growth. Once trapped, they can be released at a place far from the paddy field.

4. Natural Sprays

Jeevamrut (a spray prepared from cow urine, cow dung, water, besan and jaggery) and Neem oil (derived from the neem tree) are the most common natural sprays used to control pests in a paddy field. They have insecticidal properties and strong smells that can repel pests and reduce their feeding. 

5. Organic Rice Growing Methods

One of the most effective methods of organic rice control is the System of Rice Intensification which is based on a combination of principles for healthy growth and integrated pest management. We are currently experimenting with this method at our Hyderabad Farming Collective. 

It’s important to note that natural pest control methods may not provide complete protection against rice stem borers, especially in cases of severe infestations. Therefore, in the initial stages, you may lose some of your crops to pests, but as seasons pass, the predator and prey cycle sets in and you get a better understanding of your paddy field ecosystem, you can adapt to natural pest control methods so that you can grow to get your fair share of the crop without harming the ‘pests’ that crawl into your fields. Your farm flourishes if the natural environment around it does.