Till now, most seasonal rice areas are entering the jointing and panicle initiation stages, while several late-sown patches are in the tillering and active tillering periods. As this stage determines the number of grains per panicle and final seasonal crop yield, any adverse impact from weather or pests can directly affect total output.

Recently, continuous rounds of heavy to torrential rains hit the province, causing localized waterlogging. Prolonged high atmospheric humidity has created favorable conditions for harmful organisms to emerge and spread, particularly rice leaf blast, small rice leaf folders, root suffocation, and sheath blight.

Statistics from specialized agencies reveal that leaf blast disease prevalence ranges from 1.75% to 2.4%, with higher areas reaching 7.5% to 14%, and localized rates of 50% to 60%, concentrated in Chà Tở, Thanh Nưa, Thanh Yên, Mường Lạn, and Sam Mứn communes, as well as Điện Biên Phủ and Mường Thanh wards, with total infected acreage approaching 120 hectares. Root suffocation has affected over 70 hectares, predominantly in Chiềng Sinh, Búng Lao, Nà Tấu, Tuần Giáo, Thanh An, and Thanh Yên communes, with an average prevalence of around 3% and peaking at 20% in certain fields.

On the fields of Hồng Líu village, Mường Thanh ward, Lường Thị Hà sprays plant protection products to treat infested rice acreage. For this seasonal crop, her family planted 3,500 square meters. Lường Thị Hà shared that favorable weather early in the season enabled healthy and uniform rice growth, and fields are now entering the jointing and panicle initiation stages. However, persistent rain over the past ten days has hindered preventive spraying, while small leaf folders, blast disease, sheath blight, and physiological leaf yellowing have begun appearing. Without timely treatment, pests will reduce green leaf area, impair photosynthesis, lead to empty grains, and diminish yields.

In Mường Ảng commune, 448 hectares were sown this seasonal crop. From July 22 to July 28, the commune recorded over 146 hectares infected with harmful organisms such as small leaf folders, golden apple snails, and root-knot nematodes, an increase of 6.6 hectares compared to the prior reporting period. According to technical staff, small leaf folders primarily consume leaf flesh, reducing photosynthetic area. Severe damage during tillering, panicle initiation, or heading stages directly harms grain yield and quality.

Cadres from the commune General Service Center have stepped up field visits, guiding farmers to inspect paddies regularly, weed, stir up mud, regulate water levels properly, and apply balanced fertilizers. For root-suffocated plots, technical officers guide farmers to weed, stir mud, apply decomposed manure, and spray superphosphate solutions to stimulate root growth and facilitate rapid recovery following waterlogging.

The latest statistics show that total rice acreage infected with pests in Thanh Nưa commune reached 36.7 hectares. Planthopper populations and small leaf folders have increased slightly across various areas, sheath blight has appeared sporadically, and leaf blast has caused localized damage on main seasonal plantings with an infection rate of 40% of leaves in Nậm Ty village. Additionally, rodents and stink bugs have appeared with mild damage levels.

Bùi Thị Thùy, Deputy Director of the Thanh Nưa commune General Service Center, stated that although rainfall has decreased in recent days and leaf blast on fields past sensitive stages tends to recede, risks of outbreaks remain on portions of the main crop in fields using susceptible varieties, over-fertilized with nitrogen, or improperly treated. Furthermore, following heavy rains, sheath blight, bacterial leaf blight, brown planthoppers, and small leaf folders may continue to increase in both density and scope of damage.

Facing this situation, the commune General Service Center regularly dispatches staff to instruct farmers to monitor weather changes closely, clear drainage ditches after heavy rains, and conduct field inspections for early pest detection. For leaf blast disease, farmers are advised to temporarily halt chemical fertilizers - especially nitrogen - refrain from spraying foliar fertilizers or growth stimulants, and maintain paddy water levels at 2-3 centimeters to curb disease spread. Severely infected areas or fields displaying new lesions after the first spraying must receive a second treatment 5 to 7 days later using specific fungicides per technical guidance.

For small leaf folders and planthoppers, spraying should not occur before pest densities reach control thresholds to protect natural enemies and prevent pesticide resistance. Once pests exceed threshold levels, biological plant protection products should be prioritized to control pests while ensuring environmental and field ecosystem safety.

According to assessments by the Agriculture and Environment sector, unpredictable weather ahead with alternating rain and sun will create favorable conditions for various pests to emerge. Localities must strengthen survey, forecasting, and early detection efforts to provide timely prevention guidance. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) measures must be intensified, prioritizing cultivation techniques, field sanitation, natural predators, bait traps, and plant protection products adhering to the “four rights” principle. Synchronously combining appropriate field care, regular monitoring, and timely intervention will minimize losses caused by pests and adverse weather, safeguarding seasonal rice yield and quality.