Retrospection of Outbreaks of Spodoptera mauritia Boisduval in NER India: The Solution Lies in Ecological Engineering, Not in Insecticides

Arup Kumar Sarma, Christian Damgaard and Prasanta Neog
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Arup Kumar Sarma: Department of Entomology, BN College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Biswanath Chariali 784176, Assam, India
Christian Damgaard: Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsoevej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
Prasanta Neog: Department of Agrometeorology, BN College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Biswanath Chariali 784176, Assam, India

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-17

Abstract: Rice cultivation in North East India is organic by tradition; however, the recent outbreaks of the rice-swarming caterpillar, Spodoptera mauritia Boisduval, have compelled rice-farmers to use synthetic insecticides. The outbreak in 2016 affected more than 56,768 ha of winter rice in 28 districts of Assam. About 25,545–42,576 L insecticide was applied in the state to combat the outbreak. This is one of the highest insecticide loads ever to be added to the rice ecosystem of Assam. Such a load, if added repeatedly with the reoccurrence of outbreaks, may affect the innate resilience of the rice ecosystem in the long run. In this paper, the outbreak of RSC has been analysed from an ecological perspective in order to replace the existing policy of exclusive dependence on insecticide. The review will help the researchers, extension workers and policy makers of the rice producing countries, more specifically in Asian countries, which together account for more than 91% of the world’s rice production.

Keywords: rice swarming caterpillar; Spodoptera mauritia; outbreak; resilience; ecological engineering (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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