Diseases

Several fungal pathogens infect rice leafhoppers and planthoppers. Prolonged high moisture is necessary for the germination of fungal spores. The fungus grows into the body of the infected hopper; when the insect is dead, fungus grows out of the body through the joints.

One mermithid nematode also infects hoppers and after death of the insect the nematode emerges from the body. The incidence of nematode parasites is usually low, but relatively higher in the wet season than the dry season. Important pathogens are:

Fungus:

• Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin (Moniliales: Moniliaceae)
• Metarhizium flavoviride Gams and Roszypal (Moniliales: Moniliaceae)
• Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Moniliales: Moniliaceae)
• Hirsutella citriformis Speare (Moniliales: Stilbaceae)  
• Erynia delphacis (Hori.) (Entomophthoraceae)
• Entomophthora coronata (Constantin) Kevorkian (Entomophthoraceae)

Nematode:

Hexamermis sp. (Mermithidae)
Agamermis unka Kaburaki & Imamura