Abstract:
Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) damage in rice was the major production constraint prevailed in 1997/98
South-West monsoon season in areas where the extent under rice cultivation was high. A survey was
conducted during the later part of the same season to identify the causes for high BPH infestation in the
Anuradhapura district. Of the severely damaged crop, 75% was found to be planted early and these crops
had been in the ideal vegetative phase when the high temparature, which was at least four degrees higher
than that of a normal South-West monsoon season and the humid micro-environment due to heavy rainfall
had been the causes for rapid increase of BPH population. Indiscriminate use of insecticides and use of
excessively high rates of nitrogen fertilizer as well as seed paddy had been the additional factors favourable
for the BPH proliferation.
