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Vetiver grass as a trap plant

for controlling rice stem borers

in China

Zhongxian Lyu (Lu)

Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Hangzhou, China

Email: luzxmh@163.com

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01

Why need trap plants to control stem borers

Contents

02

How to work of vetiver as a trap plants

03

How to apply vetiver to control stem borers

04

How to scaleup the application by farmers

​

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One

Why need trap plants to control stem borers ?

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Most economically important rice insect pests in China

Stem borers

Planthoppers

Leaf folders

Overwinter in China

Could not overwinter in China, and migrate from SE Asian

Striped, Pink and Yellow stem borers , Brown and White backed planthoppers

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WHY frequent outbreak of rice insect pests in China

High rice yield practices

High resistance to insecticides

Low host resistance (hybrid rice)

Low natural control functioning

Low ecosystem services

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Three reasons led outbreak of stem borers

(1) high resistance of stem borers to dominant insecticides

Year

Insecticide

Dose (g/ha)

Control efficiency (%)

2008

Chlorantraniliprole

150

90.2

2009

Chlorantraniliprole

150

91.4

flubendiamide

150

92.5

2013

Chlorantraniliprole

150

56.5

tetrachlorantraniliprole

600

51.3

2015

Chlorantraniliprole

225

16.8

flubendiamide

225

51.2

cyantraniliprole

300

59.3

2016

Chlorantraniliprole

300

21.4

Dominant insecticides (amides) fail to control rice stem borers

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(2) High source of stem borers

because of returning rice straw to field

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(3) Higher larval survival of stem borers in winter season

because of global warming

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Reducing initial population size BY

  • sex pheromone trap (male adults only）
  • light trap (both of SBs and NEs)
  • trap plants (vetiver, long-term use)

The main methods to control stem borers

Reforming and worsening environment

Improving natural control by NEs

Precise application of pesticides

  • resistant plants (no resistant gene )
  • smart management of water & fertilizer
  • conservation bio-control
  • releasing trichogramma parasitoid
  • bio-insecticides
  • low eco-risk insecticides

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Two

How to work of vetiver as a trap plants ?

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Vetiver as a trap plant for the control of rice stem borers

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Random selection of striped stem borer (SSB) to hosts

Vetiver Rice others

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Selection of SSB females of different geographical populations to rice and vetiver

Test time (days)

Test time (days)

Test time (days)

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Selection of SSB males of different geographical populations to rice and vetiver

Check time (days)

Check time (days)

Test time (days)

Test time (days)

Test time (days)

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Vetiver attracts stem borers to lay eggs

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Number of SSB eggs of different geographical populations laid on rice and vetiver

Populations

Ratio of egg laid（%）

Vetiver

Rice

Jinhua, Zhejiang

62.94±3.74 a

37.06±3.74 b

Hengyang, Hunan

70.01±10.10 a

29.99±10.10 b

Quzhou, Zhejiang

60.71±2.12 a

39.29±2.12 b

Yueqing, Zhejiang

68.98±3.90 a

31.02±3.90 b

Xinyang, Henan

62.50±3.24 a

37.50±3.24 b

Xiaoshan, Zhejiang

61.51±0.84 a

38.49±0.84 b

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Volatiles from vetiver at different growth stages

Compounds

Growth stages of vetiver

40 days

60 days

80 days

顺式-3-己烯-1-醇（cis-3-hexen-1-ol）

2.67±1.09 a

2.89±1.49 a

2.95±1.02 a

α-蒎烯（α-pinene）

0.16±0.03 a

0.26±0.13 a

0.25±0.14 a

壬醛（nonanal）

35.83±8.81 a

48.53±15.16 a

49.51±16.57 a

杜烯（durene）

1.95±0.66 a

2.27±1.01 a

2.66±0.50 a

7-十五酮（7-pentadecanone）

3.95±1.25 a

5.12±2.51 a

4.79±0.96 a

樟脑（camphor）

1.75±0.61 a

2.45±0.62 a

2.65±0.18 a

薄荷醇（menthol）

5.08±1.50 a

9.48±2.05 a

8.45±1.98 a

萘（naphthaline）

3.70±1.66 a

2.68±0.66 a

3.76±1.06 a

癸醛（decanal）

2.85±1.05 a

3.20±1.57 a

3.21±1.08 a

1-甲基萘（1-methylnaphthalene）

16.44±9.43 a

13.09±2.70 a

14.81±5.16 a

2-甲基萘（2-methylnaphthalene）

0.83±0.15 a

1.32±0.66 a

0.98±0.30 a

甲基丙酸酯（dimethylpropyl ester

4.96±1.48 a

5.20±1.68 a

7.45±4.22 a

十四烷（n-tetradecane）

14.58±2.55 b

15.19±2.59 b

31.62±7.22 a

长叶烯（longifolene）

1.14±0.27 a

0.96±0.64 a

1.53±0.79 a

α-雪松烯（α-cedrene）

53.19±12.76 a

79.93±23.04 a

63.42±27.90 a

β-雪松烯（β-cedrene）

18.64±2.66 a

23.77±10.01 a

21.49±9.30 a

十五烷（n-pentadecane）

6.49±0.04 a

6.85±1.38 a

7.65±0.49 a

四甲基-1-十六烷醇（tetramethylhexadecane）

8.80±1.77 a

17.86±7.13 a

10.55±2.01 a

十六烷（n-hexadecane）

14.91±3.16 a

23.06±12.52 a

16.84±4.33 a

柏木脑（cedrol）

3.77±0.46 a

3.64±0.84 a

3.42±1.69 a

十七烷（n-heptadecane）

69.59±27.91 a

73.73±8.22 a

90.55±47.82 a

十二烷醇（dodecanol）

7.13±1.57 a

4.61±3.38 a

8.37±4.57 a

去甲植烷（pristane）

30.05±17.05 a

37.38±13.78 a

38.33±19.40 a

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Volatiles from vetiver at different N regimes

Volatiles

N applied (g/cluster)

0

10

20

顺式-3-己烯-1-醇（cis-3-hexen-1-ol）

2.10±0.84 a

4.36±1.01 a

5.64±2.19 a

α-蒎烯（α-pinene）

2.89±0.27 a

2.41±0.14 ab

1.74±0.63 b

壬醛（nonanal）

40.51±13.08 a

26.42±3.98 ab

22.63±6.07 b

杜烯（durene）

1.53±0.76 a

3.41±1.02 a

4.53±1.80 a

7-十五酮（7-pentadecanone）

3.24±0.03 a

3.90±1.22 a

3.43±0.70 a

樟脑（camphor）

6.13±1.29 a

2.70±1.48 a

3.24±2.27 a

薄荷醇（menthol）

8.98±0.93 a

5.99±1.95 a

5.57±3.78 a

萘（naphthaline）

1.13±0.67 a

1.87±0.36 a

3.04±0.56 a

癸醛（decanal）

2.37±0.60 a

4.40±1.13 a

6.17±2.56 a

1-甲基萘（1-methylnaphthalene）

20.12±1.77 a

29.32±13.01 a

20.71±6.28 a

2-甲基萘（2-methylnaphthalene）

0.95±0.05 a

1.27±0.62 a

1.16±0.35 a

2-甲基丙酸酯 dimethylpropyl ester

7.34±4.31 a

7.26±0.36 a

7.57±2.05 a

十四烷（n-tetradecane）

9.06±6.47 a

15.60±8.64 a

6.21±1.65 a

长叶烯（longifolene）

0.71±0.30 a

0.98±0.42 a

0.65±0.35 a

α-雪松烯（α-cedrene）

42.67±2.95 a

53.19±30.61 a

32.03±10.05 a

β-雪松烯（β-cedrene）

12.84±0.74 a

17.02±9.67 a

14.97±7.43 a

十五烷（n-pentadecane）

5.57±0.70 a

6.07±1.82 a

5.22±1.55 a

十六烷醇tetramethylhexadecane

10.10±0.90 a

8.81±1.53 a

12.13±3.87 a

十六烷（n-hexadecane）

19.08±1.24 a

21.84±9.65 a

18.58±4.53 a

柏木脑（cedrol）

1.88±0.12 b

5.46±1.55 a

4.11±1.19 a

十七烷（n-heptadecane）

92.67±18.73 a

118.70±22.36 a

93.68±17.97 a

三甲基-1-十二烷醇（trimethyl-1-dodecanol）

3.96±1.87 a

5.38±1.55 a

2.43±2.09 a

去甲植烷（pristane）

27.80±23.70 a

29.57±7.28 a

29.96±7.30 a

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EAG responses of female adult antennae to volatiles

Concentration：0.01，0.1，1，10，50 μg/ μL

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EAG responses to volatile combinations

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Testing volatile formulas in rice fields

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Adults trapped by different combination formula of vetiver volatiles

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SSB could not complete life history on vetiver

Development stage of SSB

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PSB survival fed on rice and vetiver

Development stage of PSB

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Nutritional factors in rice and vetiver plants

Therefore, the nutrients of vetiver grass are scarce compared with rice, and the larvae of stem borers feeding on vetiver with unbalanced nutrition, thus affecting the activity of digestive enzymes in the body, causing digestive disorders and eventually death.

The content of nutrients such as total protein, cellulose and total sugar in vetiver is significantly lower than those in rice. The toxic substance tannin in vetiver is significantly higher than that in rice.

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Amino acids in rice and vetiver plants

Amino acids

Content of amino acid（%）

Rice/Vetiver

Rice

Vetiver

ASP

1.86±0.04 a

0.59±0.10 b

3.15

THR

0.69±0.03 a

0.20±0.02 b

3.45

SER

0.76±0.06 a

0.23±0.03 b

3.30

GLU

2.10±0.11 a

0.52±0.06 b

4.04

PRO

0.68±0.02a

0.21±0.02 b

3.24

GLY

0.82±0.06 a

0.24±0.03 b

3.42

ALA

1.09±0.07 a

0.30±0.04 b

3.63

VAL

0.86±0.03 a

0.24±0.03 b

3.58

MET

0.14±0.00 a

0.02±0.00 b

7.00

ILE

0.63±0.03 a

0.17±0.03 b

3.71

LEU

1.28±0.08 a

0.34±0.05 b

3.76

TYR

0.34±0.04 a

0.09±0.01 b

3.78

PHE

0.78±0.06 a

0.22±0.02 b

3.55

HIS

0.53±0.01 a

0.21±0.04 b

2.52

LYS

0.91±0.06 a

0.29±0.04 b

3.14

ARG

0.80±0.07 a

0.18±0.02 b

4.44

Total (%)

14.23±0.72 a

4.00±0.49 b

3.56

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Insecticidal activity of extracts from vetiver plant with different solvents

Crude extract

Water solube

Petroleum ether

Ethyl aceate

N-butanol

CK

Larvae mortality (%)

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Insecticidal substances

in petroleum ether extracts of vetiver

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Detoxifying enzymes of SSB fed on rice and vetiver

​

Different days after larvae fed on rice and vetiver

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Digestive enzymes of SSB fed on rice and vetiver

Different days after larvae fed on rice and vetiver

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CYP6SN3 and CYP306A1 involved in the lethal effect of SSB caused by vetiver grass

The expression levels of CsCYP6SN3 and CsCYP306A1 in 3rd larvae of SSB (Chilo suppressalis) were significantly inhibited after feeding on vetiver.

(Lu et al., IJBM, 2022)

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CYP6SN3 and CYP306A1 involved in the lethal effect of SSB caused by vetiver grass

RNA interference showed that silencing CsCYP6SN3 and CsCYP306A1 genes dramatically reduced the pupation rate and pupa weight.

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CYP6SN3 and CYP306A1 involved in the lethal effect of SSB caused by vetiver grass

Feeding on vetiver after silencing CsCYP6SN3 and CsCYP306A1 led to higher mortality compared with feeding on rice.

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Three

How to apply vetiver to control stem borers ?

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Control efficiency of SSB

by planting vetiver at different spaces

一年香根草

100

​

50

​

0

CK

Rice damaged (%)

5m

3m

Plant spacing

1m

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Control efficiency of SSB

by planting vetiver at different row spaces

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Larva overwintered within rice straw in fields

Distance from ridge planting with vetiver

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Vetiver + technology

Sex pheromone trap

(15-20 traps/ha)

Trichogramma sp

(150,000 /ha)

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Four

How to scaleup

the application by farmers ?

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Transplanting : March to June

Plant spacing: 3-5m

N fertilization: 10g/hill

Cutting strew: after rice harvest

​

Standardization of vetiver technology

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3 – 5 m

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Demonstration and farmer training in field

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An estimated 270,000 hectares of rice fields by using vetiver to control SSB in 15 provinces in China

Official recommendation of vetiver technology by MARA since 2013

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Egg parasitoid populations increased in vetiver-based rice ecosystem

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Resistance of SBB to dominant insecticide

decreased by using vetiver as trap plants

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  1. 高广春,李军,郑许松,徐红星,杨亚军,田俊策,吕仲贤.香根草提取物对二化螟生长发育及体内保护酶活力的影响[J].科技通报,2015,31(05):97-101.
  2. 高广春,徐红星,郑许松,杨亚军,吕仲贤,邱海萍.香根草提取物对植物病原真菌的抑制作用[J].浙江农业学报,2011,23(03):568-571.
  3. 高广春,徐红星,郑许松,杨亚军,田俊策,吕仲贤香根草提取物在防治植物病害中的应用[C]//中国植物保护学会.公共植保与绿色防控.公共植保与绿色防控,2010:926.
  4. 梁齐,鲁艳辉,何晓婵,郑许松,徐红星,杨亚军,田俊策,吕仲贤.诱集植物在害虫治理中的最新研究进展[J].生物安全学报,2015,24(03):184-193.
  5. 梁齐,鲁艳辉,王国荣,郑许松,吕仲贤.寄主植物上喷药对大螟产卵选择性的影响[J].植物保护学报,2017,44(01):39-44.
  6. 鲁艳辉,高广春,郑许松,吕仲贤.诱集植物香根草对二化螟幼虫致死的作用机制[J].中国农业科学,2017,50(03):486-495.
  7. 鲁艳辉,高广春,郑许松,王国荣,吕仲贤.不同生育期和氮肥水平对水稻螟虫诱集植物香根草挥发物的影响[J].中国生物防治学报,2016,32(05):604-609.
  8. 鲁艳辉,梁齐,郑许松,吕仲贤.诱集植物香根草对大螟幼虫营养作用及消化酶的影响[J].中国生物防治学报,2017,33(05):719-724.
  9. 宋瑞雪,鲁涵,鲁艳辉,郑许松,吕仲贤.取食香根草后水稻螟虫对杀虫剂敏感度变化[J].中国水稻科学,2019,33(03):282-286.
  10. 鲁艳辉,梁齐,郑许松,王国荣,吕仲贤.诱杀植物香根草对稻蛀茎夜蛾幼虫解毒酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶的影响[J].植物保护,2017,43(06):123-126+143.
  11. 郑许松,鲁艳辉,钟列权,黄贤夫,陈海波,姚晓明,吕仲贤.浙江省水稻二化螟绿色防控技术应用实践[J].中国植保导刊,2017,37(11):42-45+74.
  12. 郑许松,鲁艳辉,钟列权,黄贤夫,徐法三,姚晓明,徐红星,吕仲贤.诱虫植物香根草控制水稻二化螟的最佳田间布局[J].植物保护,2017,43(06):103-108.
  13. 郑许松,田俊策,杨亚军,朱平阳,李宽,徐红星,吕仲贤.禾本科杂草作为防治稻纵卷叶螟的功能性植物的可行性[J].中国农业科学,2017,50(21):4129-4137.
  14. 朱平阳,郑许松,姚晓明,徐红星,张发成,陈桂华,吕仲贤.提高稻飞虱卵期天敌控害能力的稻田生态工程技术[J].中国植保导刊,2015,35(07):27-32+56.
  15. 朱平阳,郑许松,张发成,Alberto T Barrion,徐红星,杨亚军,陈桂华,吕仲贤.生态工程控害技术提高稻纵卷叶螟天敌功能团的种群数量[J].中国生物防治学报,2017,33(03):351-363.
  16. 朱平阳,郑许松,张发成,徐红星,姚晓明,杨亚军,陈桂华,吕仲贤.应用生态工程技术控制水稻害虫对水生昆虫数量的影响[J].中国水稻科学,2017,31(02):207-215.

​

  • Lu YH, Bai q, Li Q, Zheng XS, Tian JC, Guo JW, Xu HX, Lu ZX. (2022) Two P450 genes, CYP6SN3 and CYP306A1, involved in the growth and development of Chilo suppressalis and the lethal effect caused by vetiver grass. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 223, 860-869.
  • Lu YH, Liu K, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2017) Electrophysiological responses of the rice striped stem borer Chilo suppressalis to volatiles of the trap plant vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.). Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 16(11), 2525-2533.
  • Lu YH, Zhao YY, Lu H, Bai Q, Yang YJ, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2018) Midgut transcriptional variation of Chilo suppressalis larvae induced by feeding on the dead-end trap plant, Vetiveria zizanioides. Frontiers in Physiology, 9.
  • Lu YH, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2019) Application of vetiver grass Vetiveria zizanioides: Poaceae (L.) as a trap plant for rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis: Crambidae (Walker) in the paddy fields. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 18(4), 797-804.

Total of more than 40 papers published, including 16 papers in Chinese

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  1. Gao GC, Li J, Zheng XS, Xu HX, Yang YJ, Tian JC, Lu ZX. (2015) Effects of vetiver extract on the growth and development of Chilo suppressalis and the activity of protective enzymes in vivo. Bulletin of science and technology. 31(05):97-101.
  2. Gao GC, Xu HX, Zheng XS, Yang YJ, Lu ZX, Qiu HP. (2015) Inhibitory effect of vetiver extract on plant pathogenic fungi. Agricuturae Zhejiangensis. 23(03):568-571.
  3. Gao GC, Tian JC, Lu ZX. (2010) Application of vetiver extract in prevention and control of plant diseases. China Society of Plant Protection. 2010:926.
  4. Liang Q, Lu YH, He XC (2015) The latest research progress of trapping plants in pest management. Journal of biosafety. 24(03):184-193.
  5. Liang Q, Lu YH, Wang GR, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2017) Effect of spraying on host plants on oviposition selectivity of Sesamia inferens. Journal of plant protection. 44(01):39-44.
  6. Lu YH, Bai q, Li Q, Zheng XS, Tian JC, Guo JW, Xu HX, Lu ZX. (2022) Two P450 genes, CYP6SN3 and CYP306A1, involved in the growth and development of Chilo suppressalis and the lethal effect caused by vetiver grass. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 223, 860-869.
  7. Lu YH, Gao GC, Zheng XS, Wang GR, Lu ZX. (2016) Effects of different growth stages and nitrogen levels on volatiles of rice stem borer trapping plant vetiver grass. Chinese journal of biological control. 32(05):604-609.
  8. Lu YH, Gao GC, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2017) The mechanism of action of trapping plant vetiver on the death of Chilo suppressalis larvae. Science agricultural sinica. 50(03):486-495.
  9. Lu YH, Liang Q, Zheng XS, Wang GR, Lu ZX. (2017) Effects of trapping plant vetiver on detoxification enzymes and acetylcholinesterase of rice stem borer larvae. Plant protection. 43(06):123-126+143.
  10. Lu YH, Liang Q,Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2017) Effects of trapping plant vetiver on nutrition and digestive enzymes of Sesamia inferens larvae. Chinese journal of biological control. 33(05):719-724.
  11. Lu YH, Liu K, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2017) Electrophysiological responses of the rice striped stem borer Chilo suppressalis to volatiles of the trap plant vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.). Journal of Integrative Agriculture. 16(11), 2525-2533.
  12. Lu YH, Zhao YY, Lu H, Bai Q, Yang YJ, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2018) Midgut Transcriptional Variation of Chilo suppressalis Larvae Induced by Feeding on the Dead-End Trap Plant, Vetiveria zizanioides. Frontiers in Physiology. 9.
  13. Lu YH, Zheng XS, Lu ZX. (2019) Application of vetiver grass Vetiveria zizanioides: Poaceae (L.) as a trap plant for rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis: Crambidae (Walker) in the paddy fields. Journal of Integrative Agriculture. 18(4), 797-804.
  14. Song RX, Lu H, Lu YH, Zheng XS,Lu ZX. (2019) Changes in sensitivity of rice borers to insecticides after feeding vetiver grass. Chinese Journal of Rice Science. 33(03):282-286.
  15. Zheng XS, Lu YH, Zhong LQ, Huang XF, Chen HB, Yao XM, Lu ZX. (2017) Application practice of green prevention and control technology of rice stem borer in Zhejiang Province.China plant protection. 37(11):42-45+74.
  16. Zheng XS, Lu YH, Zhong LQ, Huang XF, Xu FS, Yao XM, Xu HX, Lu ZX. (2017) The best field layout of trapping plant vetiver to control rice stem borer. Plant protection. 43(06):103-108.
  17. Zheng XS, Tian JC, Yang YJ, Zhu PY, Li K, Xu HX, Lu ZX. (2017) Feasibility of gramineous weeds as functional plants for controlling Cnaphalocrocis medinalis. Science agricultural sinica. 50(21):4129-4137.
  18. Zhu PY, Zheng XS, Yao XM, Xu HX, Zhang FC, Chen GH, Lu ZX. (2015) Paddy field ecological engineering technology to improve the ability of natural enemies to control rice planthopper eggs. China plant protection. 35(07):27-32+56.
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