Hai Phong: Proactively issuing a plan to prevent Southern rice black-streaked dwarf disease in the 2026 Mùa rice crop

Details of the rice crop protection plan for the 2026 Season in Hai Phong

Disease risks and the role of the white-backed planthopper

Black-streaked dwarf disease has long been recognized as a particularly dangerous pest on rice crops. With its ability to spread rapidly over large areas, the disease can cause severe damage to yield and food production if not detected early and controlled in time. Because the virus is transmitted by the white-backed planthopper as a vector, the risk of an outbreak remains very high when planthopper density surges and infection sources are present in the fields right from the beginning of the cropping season.

Therefore, surveying and monitoring the development of white-backed planthoppers, along with early sampling and analysis to determine virus carriage rates, plays an especially critical role in predicting and forecasting disease outbreaks. These activities help specialized agencies issue timely warnings and guide localities and farmers in proactively implementing effective prevention and control measures to minimize damages caused by the disease.

Production realities show that during the 2017 Mùa crop, southern rice black-streaked dwarf disease broke out into an epidemic across many northern provinces and cities, including Hai Phong, causing heavy losses to crop production. In recent years, although the disease has only appeared sporadically with low density and mild damage, the risk of resurgence and widespread transmission remains ever-present. This is especially likely under weather conditions favorable for the population growth of white-backed planthoppers during the Mùa crop.

Monitoring and communication plan

To proactively control and prevent the emergence and spread of the disease and safeguard rice production throughout the city, the Hai Phong Department of Agriculture and Environment has officially issued Plan No. 76/KH-SNNMT, dated 26/5/2026, on preventing and controlling rice black-streaked dwarf disease during the 2026 wet-season crop.

In this document, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has proposed comprehensive groups of solutions. Among them, strengthening the monitoring and surveillance of white-backed planthoppers and disease sources right from the start of the crop season was identified as the top priority. Alongside this, publicity work on disease prevention and control will be intensified through diverse forms such as broadcasting information on mass media, organizing conferences, technical training, and distributing guidance materials. These activities aim to help farmers recognize disease symptoms early to apply the correct technical measures. In particular, the agricultural sector advises people to implement disease prevention measures right from the seedling stage under the motto "prevention is primary", with a community-based and synchronous implementation.

Field sanitation and seedling protection

Regarding specific technical measures, the Department of Agriculture and Environment requested localities to actively guide farmers in stepping up field sanitation by plowing under stubble, destroying ratoon rice, and clearing weeds along field dikes to limit habitats for white-backed planthoppers and residual disease sources. Localities must also arrange centralized planting schedules on time, restrict the planting of planthopper-susceptible varieties, enhance the use of resistant varieties, and widely adopt technical advances to improve integrated pest management efficiency.

To protect rice seedlings, authorities recommend treating seeds before sowing, limiting direct seeding in high-risk areas, and avoiding seedling nurseries near roads or brightly lit places that can attract white-backed planthoppers. In areas where the disease has previously occurred or where the risk is high, farmers should spray insecticides against planthoppers 3 to 4 days before transplanting to eliminate the disease vectors.

Outbreak management and coordinated implementation

The Department's plan also clearly outlines decisive measures when diseases appear in the fields. Accordingly, upon detecting white-backed planthoppers carrying the virus or infected rice plants, local authorities must immediately quarantine the area, spray pesticides promptly, and uproot and destroy infected rice clumps to minimize spread. For heavily infected fields, complete eradication must be carried out by plowing under immediately after treating the planthoppers to prevent the source of infection from spreading to other areas.

To maximize the plan's effectiveness, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has assigned the Hai Phong Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection to lead its implementation, strengthen disease risk assessment and forecasting, and tighten inspections of businesses selling crop seeds, fertilizers and plant protection products in the area. In addition, technical agencies, local authorities, media organizations and mass organizations have been asked to coordinate closely on outreach and guidance to help farmers implement disease prevention and control measures comprehensively and effectively, with a firm commitment to ensuring a successful 2026 wet-season rice crop.