— An Analysis of the National On-site Conference on the Prevention and Control of Major Pests and Diseases Affecting Autumn Grain Crops

　　At present, we have entered the critical growth stage for autumn crops such as mid- to late-season rice, maize, and potatoes, which also marks the peak period for the occurrence and damage caused by major pests and diseases, including the two‑migratory rice pests and the fall armyworm. Effective pest and disease management is essential for ensuring a bountiful harvest.

　　To coordinate and implement measures for the prevention and control of major crop diseases and pests, thereby ensuring the safety of autumn grain production, a national on-site conference on the prevention and control of major autumn‑crop diseases and pests was recently held in Changsha County, Hunan Province. The meeting emphasized the need to fully recognize the importance of effective disease and pest management, to intensify efforts and strengthen implementation, and to keep losses from major autumn‑crop diseases and pests below 5 percent, thus securing a bountiful harvest and gaining the upper hand in achieving moderate prosperity.

　　The risk of a resurgence of pests and diseases is higher than in previous years, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen monitoring and early warning systems.

　　Which pests and diseases are classified as major threats to autumn grain crops? What has been the incidence this year, and do they pose a threat to China’s food‑security production?

　　At the meeting, the participating experts and plant protection personnel engaged in thorough discussions and analyses. The experts unanimously agreed that the outlook for major diseases and pests affecting autumn grain crops this year is far from optimistic, with a significantly higher risk of recurrent outbreaks in the mid- to late‑season stages compared with previous years.

　　In particular, the “two‑migration” rice pests pose a high risk of resurgence in southeastern Southwest China, the Jiangnan region, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the Jianghuai rice‑growing area, while the fall armyworm faces a heightened risk of re‑emergence in southern autumn‑corn growing regions and northern late‑sown corn areas—both warranting close attention.

　　The fall armyworm is a major pest and disease affecting autumn grain crops, primarily damaging maize. On August 16, Ding Qingyong, head of the Taiqinggong Agricultural Technology Extension Station in Luyi County, Henan Province, and a senior agronomist, convened several large-scale farmers from Taiqinggong Town to conduct an on-site observation at an experimental field in Rendantang Village, Jiatan Town. There, they discovered a fifth- or sixth-instar fall armyworm larva on a maize tassel.

　　Ding Qingyong explained that, owing to the fall armyworm’s voracious appetite, strong migratory behavior, and high reproductive capacity, once this pest is detected, it must be subject to comprehensive monitoring and control measures, with constant vigilance to prevent further expansion of its infested area.

　　According to reports, this year the fall armyworm has infested 15.99 million mu across 1,193 counties in 24 provinces. Compared with the same period last year, the number of affected provinces has increased by one, and the infested area has expanded by 2.07 million mu, with a clear trend of northward migration across regions.

　　Zhu Enlin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, stated that the scientific and effective prevention and control of crop diseases and pests is a crucial measure for safeguarding national food security and promoting green, high-quality agricultural development. It is essential to fully recognize the importance of strengthening such efforts.

　　Zhu Enlin pointed out that, in response to the severe pest and disease situation affecting this year’s autumn grain crops, it is essential, on the one hand, to leverage the role of national regional monitoring and forecasting stations for major crop pests and diseases, conducting systematic surveillance and issuing timely warnings to ensure proactive control measures. On the other hand, local responsibilities must be fully implemented, the four-line barrier system should be brought into full play, priority should be given to key areas, inter‑regional joint prevention and coordinated unified control should be strengthened, and pest‑management operations should be guided by scientific principles.

　　“This year, our province is intensifying the deployment of monitoring stations,” said Li Yi, director of the Hunan Provincial Plant Protection and Quarantine Station. This year, Hunan Province is focusing on corn and rice, further expanding its network of monitoring sites; in particular, the corn‑monitoring network now covers every major production village.

　　Meanwhile, Hunan Province has established 20 new county- and city-level monitoring stations this year and deployed over 110 high-altitude pest‑monitoring and control lamps, thereby comprehensively setting up three high-altitude monitoring corridors spanning southern, central, and northern Hunan. At present, the province’s treatment and control rate for major pests and diseases exceeds 95%, with an efficacy rate of more than 90%, yielding significant results.

　　Vigorously promote integrated pest management to ensure effective prevention and control.

　　In mid-August, as rice enters the booting stage, pest and disease control is at a critical juncture. Over the past few days, Lang Yinjie, a large-scale grain farmer in Jinhe Village, Huanglong Town, Huaining County, Anhui Province, has been busy carrying out aerial spraying in his rice fields.

　　The rice paddies contracted by Lang Yinjie have benefited from earlier water‑conservation infrastructure and were unaffected by this year’s flood season. Today, more than 300 mu of rice are thriving, with a bountiful harvest in sight. With the floodwaters receding, he has finally been able to relax; at present, he is focusing on aerial pesticide application to control rice diseases and pests.

　　Zhang Zhifeng, director of the Huanglong Town Agricultural Station, explained that the high-quality, specialized rice demonstration base receives rice seeds uniformly distributed by the county’s Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, while pest‑control aerial spraying is carried out in a coordinated manner by the cooperative.

　　Unified pest and disease management in Huanglong Town is one of the effective approaches to controlling crop pests and diseases. Given the time-sensitive nature and high technical requirements of managing major autumn‑crop pests and diseases, it is difficult for individual farmers to implement effective control on their own; therefore, it is necessary to support a cadre of specialized pest‑control service teams and vigorously promote unified prevention and control. Accordingly, provinces across the country are actively providing support to professional service organizations and carrying out unified pest‑and‑disease management initiatives.

　　In each county and city of Hunan Province, at least one locally specialized service organization will receive prioritized support to carry out emergency prevention and control measures, ensuring that the coverage rate of professional, unified pest management within the jurisdiction reaches 40% or higher. During critical periods of disease and pest outbreaks and in areas prone to recurrent infestations, professional, unified pest management will be implemented through government procurement of services.

　　Sichuan Province has facilitated the establishment of a joint prevention and control mechanism between Garzê Prefecture and Changdu City of the Tibet Autonomous Region to address outbreaks of Tibetan migratory locusts and other locust pests. Meanwhile, it has signed with Chongqing a strategic cooperation framework agreement on a joint prevention and control mechanism for animal and plant epidemics and major crop pests and diseases, working together to tackle critical pest and disease threats such as the fall armyworm and “two‑migration” pests.

　　Jiangxi Province is vigorously promoting the establishment of model counties for green pest control and 100 counties implementing unified pest management, encouraging and supporting the development of star-rated professional pest‑control service organizations, integrating and scaling up end-to-end green pest‑control technologies, and advancing the standardization, greening, and efficiency of unified pest management. At the same time, it is strengthening training and the widespread application of safe and scientifically sound pesticide‑use practices.

　　Relevant experts point out that, while vigorously promoting integrated pest management, it is also necessary to correct the one-sided approach of equating such management with the centralized application of pesticides by specialized agencies. Integrated pest management should be seamlessly integrated with green pest‑control measures, with vigorous promotion of green technologies such as light traps, sex pheromone traps, and biological control. Priority should be given to selecting highly effective, low‑risk, and appropriately targeted agrochemicals to elevate the scientific rigor of pest‑management practices.

　　Comprehensively provide science and technology support services, with implementation down to the field level.

　　“During the tillering stage of late-season rice, apply nitrogen fertilizer sparingly to curb ineffective tillers; maintain shallow irrigation and practice moderate field drying to enhance resistance to lodging and to pests and diseases…” Recently, in Quankou Village, Yangjiaotang Town, Qiyang County, Hunan Province, more than 20 villagers crowded into an “on-field classroom” led by an agronomist, attentively listening to key techniques for managing late-season rice in the field and for preventing and controlling pests and diseases.

　　“Today I attended a lecture on pest and disease control techniques and learned a great deal. The instructors came right out to the fields to provide hands-on guidance, and the methods they explained were easy to understand, clearly visible, and highly effective. This year’s late-season rice harvest is sure to be another bumper crop!” said villager Zhang Haiyang with delight. These field‑based classes engage farmers directly, with the community “posing the questions” and experts “providing the answers.” Not only are they highly practical, but they also foster lively interaction, enabling participants to grasp the concepts quickly and achieve excellent results.

　　The timely and effective control of major pests and diseases affecting autumn grain crops demands high technical expertise and cannot be achieved without sound scientific guidance. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will dispatch relevant experts to provide on-site, field‑based technical training and advisory services, reaching producers directly at the grassroots level.

　　At the same time, local authorities are encouraged to employ diverse approaches and leverage multiple channels to publicize and disseminate advanced technologies for the prevention and control of major pests and diseases affecting autumn grain crops. Skilled teams should be dispatched to villages and field stations, working directly on the production frontlines to provide hands-on, face-to-face training and guidance, thereby ensuring that preventive measures are fully implemented and that cutting-edge control techniques reach the fields.

　　Localities are also providing comprehensive support for pest and disease control. Sichuan Province has implemented targeted technical guidance services, establishing a “1+1” liaison-and‑guidance system: one provincial-level expert is assigned to each prefecture-level city, and one municipal-level expert is assigned to each county, ensuring that technical advice is accurately conveyed and that all measures are effectively put into practice.

　　Henan has included the project “Research and Demonstration on the Occurrence Patterns and Green Control Technologies of the Fall Armyworm” in its major public-interest science and technology program. At the same time, it has adjusted the membership of the expert group on fall armyworm monitoring and control technologies, formulated technical guidelines for prevention and control, and produced and distributed 50,000 promotional wall charts on fall armyworm management.

　　“To date, our province has trained 28,000 technical backbones and 452,000 farmers, posted 366,800 instructional charts, distributed 2.036 million informational leaflets, and produced 10,500 promotional banners,” said Lü Guoqiang, Secretary of the Henan Provincial Plant Protection and Quarantine Station. He added that providing comprehensive technical services has effectively advanced pest and disease control efforts.

　　Zhu Enlin stated that, going forward, while continuing to strengthen monitoring and control of major crop pests and diseases, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will organize all localities to fully implement the Regulations on the Prevention and Control of Crop Pests and Diseases. By fostering coordinated efforts across all levels, the ministry will advance the development of a plant protection system, strive to build a capable workforce that ensures the long-term, sustainable management of crop pests and diseases, and make every effort to enhance its ability to safeguard grain production and secure bumper harvests.

　　————Article reprinted from the Agricultural Machinery 360 website