The impact of pests and diseases was relatively severe during mid to late September 2016 in the main rice regions of China. In Huanghuaihai and Southern China, double cropped late rice was mainly in its boosting and heading stages, while in Southwest China and the Lower Yangtze River regions single cropped late rice was in heading and filling stages. Typhoon Meranti brought heavy rainstorms to the rice regions of Huanghuaihai, Southern China, and the Lower Yangtze. As a result, from mid to late September habitat conditions were conducive to the migration of planthoppers and rice leaf rollers, as well as to the dispersal of sheath blight.

Rice planthopper

The distribution of rice planthopper in mid to late September is shown in figure 4.1 and table 4.1. The total area affected by rice planthoppers has reached 14.7 million hectares, with the pest severely occurring in most of Jiangsu, central Anhui, central Hubei, most of Fujian, most of Guangdong, and most of Guangxi. Moderate attacks occurred in central Hunan, central Yunnan, eastern Guizhou, most of Jiangxi, western Heilongjiang, and central Liaoning.

Figure 4.1. Distribution of rice planthopper in China (mid to late September 2016)

Table 4.1. Occurrence and affected area for the rice planthopper in China (mid to late September 2016)

Rice leaf roller

Nationwide, the rice leaf roller (figure 4.2 and table 4.2) damaged around 10 million hectares, most severely in northern Jiangsu, central Anhui, most of Hubei, southern Guangxi, and southern Guangdong. Attacks were moderate in most of Hunan and Yunnan, as well as in central Guizhou and central Heilongjiang.

Figure 4.2. Distribution of rice leaf roller in China (mid to late September 2016)

Table 4.2. Occurrence and affected area for the rice leaf roller in China (mid to late September 2016)

Rice sheath blight

For the country as a whole, rice sheath blight (figure 4.3 and table 4.3) damaged around 13.3 million hectares. The pest occurred in most of Jiangsu, central Anhui, central Jiangxi, southern Guangxi, and southern Guangdong where it caused severe damage. Its impact was more limited in southern Heilongjiang, western Jilin, central Hunan, central Hubei, and central Guizhou.

Figure 4.3. Distribution of rice sheath blight in China (mid to late September 2016)

Table 4.3. Occurrence and affected area for rice sheath blight in China (mid to late September 2016)