Effects of Root Zone Applications of Some Systemic Insecticides for Control of the Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of root zone application of some systemic insecticides for control of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, as one of the management option to minimize the adverse effects and maximize the efficacy of insecticide application. Five systemic insecticides, namely, carbofuran, carbosulfan, diazinon, ethoprophos and imidacloprid, as granular formulation were placed in the root zone and measured the mortality, fecundity, and nymphal survivorship of the planthopper. Diazinon and ethoprophos did not show the significant mortality of the BPH. When the BPH were inoculated at the day of carbofuran treatment, adult mortality was shown almost 100% at seven days after treatment and BPH nymphs were remained very few on rice at 25 days after treatment. When carbofuran were placed 10 days before the BPH inoculation, it showed almost 100% adult mortality after one day, and no nymphs were found until 25 day after inoculation. Efficacy of carbofuran on BPH when applied in 10 day-old rice was higher than in 30 day-old rice. These results indicated that the root zone application of carbofuran can control N. lugens effectively with less adverse effect to the natural enemies inhabited on rice plants.