Insect Pest Management in Rice: The Case of Brown Planthopper

Abstract Rice cultivation is a major source of sustenance and employment for a large portion of the global population. Furthermore, the growing demand necessitates an increase in production; however, this is limited by biotic stresses, such as insect pests. More than 100 species of insect pests infest the rice crop throughout its vegetative and reproductive phases, though only a quarter of these are considered major pests. Among them, the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is one of the most destructive, capable of damaging 70–100% of the crops during severe infestations. This phloem feeder causes hopper burn in rice-growing areas and is currently managed by insecticides. But monitoring through light traps, altering cultural practices, resistant varieties, conservation of its natural predators (mirid bugs, spiders, and coccinellid beetles), and judicious use of greener insecticides (biopesticides, botanicals, etc.) will keep the pest below the damaging level. Application of remote sensing for early detection, use of insect modelling techniques for prediction, and discovery of new breeding and molecular techniques for developing resistant rice cultivars would lead to more sustainable management of this notorious pest. Information © The Authors 2025.