D3473: Making sure the rice can grow: Managing rice seed midge in California rice

Rice seed midge is an early season pest in California rice. They have become more problematic in recent years, possibly due to environmental conditions and possibly due to difference in management efficacy. Rice seed midge can cause substantial stand loss by feeding on germinating seeds. To address management challenges, we ran field trials to evaluate insecticides that could be used to manage rice seed midge. Pyrethroids are heavily used in rice for various early season pests, but have not appeared to reduced rice seed midge populations. We tested materials from a number of modes of action and including materials typically used early season. This work is helping identify which materials are a best fit for rice seed midge, as well as materials that may provide efficacy for other pests, but not rice seed midge.