The Minister of Agriculture, Water, Livestock, and Fishing, Miguel Barrachina, has announced the launch of a group of specialists who will study in depth the evolution of the 'cucat' plague in the rice fields of Albufera, after an increase in the damage caused by this moth has been detected.
Barrachina has highlighted the immediate reaction of the Plant Health Service of the Ministry, which since the problem was identified has reinforced field tasks to review the effectiveness of the sexual confusion system, used for the control of this insect, and to specify the real extent of the afflictions.
The inspections carried out in more than 90 plots show an average damage level of 2.3 percent. In Cullera, marked as the area with the highest impact, the average rises to 6%, with a maximum recorded of 15%. Furthermore, technicians have confirmed in these areas the presence of slight damage due to anoxia (lack of oxygen) and by the piricularia fungus, whose symptoms in the plant can be confused with those caused by the 'cucat', according to the Generalitat in a statement.
The head of Agriculture has insisted that "the control method used is exactly the same as last year, a campaign that was extremely successful and with damage significantly lower than in previous years."
The Ministry allocates 400,000 euros to this campaign, one of the main plant health interventions aimed at rice. Between May and June, nearly 153,000 pheromone dispensers have been placed in more than 15,300 hectares of rice fields located in the surroundings of the natural park of l'Albufera and in the marshes of Pego-Oliva and La Llosa-Xilxes, which has allowed for a 99.2% reduction in the use of phytosanitary products.
Technical actions and pheromone control
Analyses of the dispenser product have been requested, which have confirmed that its formulation and the quantities used are completely correct.
Currently, tests are being carried out on the concentration of pheromone in the air to verify its real diffusion capacity. Technical data supports the system: although fewer rods have been placed in the ground, the dose of product has doubled compared to previous models, increasing from 7.75 grams of pheromone per hectare to 15 grams.
The fieldwork has revealed that, in areas with the highest level of damage, numerous stakes located on the margins have disappeared. These losses are related to clearing work on roads, the passage of heavy machinery, and possible isolated thefts, which breaks the pheromone barrier and reduces the effectiveness of the method.
"Our priority is to offer scientific certainties and absolute support to the rice farmers. This group of experts will evaluate all the data collected to understand in detail the behavior of the pest this season and guarantee the effectiveness of our protection methods," stated the councilor Miguel Barrachina.