ILOILO CITY - Agriculture and local government officials here have warned of the possible spread of infestation of the Rice Black Bug that could destroy hundreds of hectares of rice fields in Iloilo province.

Dr. Ildefonso Toledo, acting assistant provincial agriculture officer, said at least 23 hectares of rice fields in Barangays Pinantan Elizalde and Pinantan Diel in Ajuy town and in Barangay Bacabac in Sara town have been affected as of March 25.

Toledo said at least 1,000 hectares of rice fields will be affected if the spread of the infestation is not contained.

Iloilo province is the country's second biggest rice producer with a total production of 690,269 metric tons last year.

The RBB (Scotinophara coarctata), also known as the Malaysian Black Bug, attacks rice stems and yam. It infests the bases of rice stems and drains them of saps causing the plants to weaken. The stalks eventually wither (bug burn) and die.

Toledo said areas affected by RBB infestation could suffer a reduction of production from 60 to 80 percent.

The Department of Agriculture is still determining how the bugs managed to infest the rice fields of Iloilo.

Toledo said the bugs are mobile and can easily be transported because they are nocturnal insects attracted to bright lights. "They could have been transported by sea vessels and other lighted vehicles," Toledo said in a telephone interview.

Signs of infestation were first detected in Ajuy and Sara on the second week of this month, said Toledo.

He said detection and containment of the RBB are more difficult because they attack the rice fields during the night.

The bugs have a maximum height of 8-9 millimeters and a lifespan of 200 days (5-6 months). They are capable of producing 680 eggs during their lifespan.

Toledo said one of their main concerns is how to prevent the bugs from laying eggs and control its spread.

The DA has issued guidelines to farmers and local government officials and agencies on how to help contain the spread of the infestation.

Among the measures being undertaken is the putting up of "light traps" which captures the bugs in funnel-shaped containers by attracting them with bright lights.

The DA has also advised farmers to burn rice straws where the bugs usually stay and lay eggs. After harvest, rice fields should also be immediately plowed and flooded with water to kill the bugs' eggs.

Farmers have also been advised to cancel the third cropping to break the life cycle of the bug.

Toledo said the RBB are resistant to commercial pesticides but could be contained with the use of matarrhizium, a kind of fungus that kills adult RBBs.

Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. met with mayors and agriculture officers during the weekend to discuss the problem and map out measures to prevent the infestation from spreading to neighboring towns and provinces.*NPB

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