"That [spreading infestation] is why we are intensifying the establishment and operation of metarhizium [fungus] laborato-ries and introduction of rice black bug mitigation measures," a state-ment quoted Department of Agriculture regional executive director Leo P. Cañeda as saying.
Moreover, he said, "our office is strongly campaigning for the application of light trapping, which is proven to be very suc-cessful especially in Southern Leyte, the first area in Eastern Visayas hit by the pest."
There are still sporadic cases of rice black bug infestation in Leyte’s rice fields, but the official said it has gone down to an "insig-nificant" level. "We have been able to neutralize the problem [in Leyte]," he added.
It can be recalled that in 2004, the pest infestation wreaked over P200 million in rice production losses, as the bug ravaged over 6,000 hectares of rice land on Leyte Island.
The information drive now has been concentrated in the three Samar provinces.
"In the case of Northern Samar, [it was] only [in] this cropping that farmers have no-ticed the decline in production, but there were sightings of bug’s presence already as early as last year," Mr. Cañeda said.
Detection and containment of the bug are difficult because they attack rice fields only during the night.
"It’s just a matter of time that this bug spreads to different parts of the region. It will be very costly allowing this rice black bug to fly out of Region 8 to neighboring islands," he said.
"The challenge for the region is how to mitigate and minimize the damage of this infestation."
Biological control using the fungus, metarhizium, is key to efforts to arrest the spread of the pest.
Mr. Cañeda added that his office, local government units and other concerned agencies have also distributed light traps to some affected farmers. Light trapping is conducted every month, three days before to two days after the full moon. The activity helps in paring down rice black bug populations to a "non-damaging" level, he said.
Black bugs look like beetles and have a distinctive smell. Their eggs mature in three days and even small ones suck palay stalks until these wilt and die. — SQM .
