Developing Information System for Climate Based Potential Area of Brown Plant Hopper (Nilaparvata lugens) in North Coast of West Java

Abstract

Pest infestation is still a big limiting factor for crop production in Indonesia. Although a number of efforts have been made to solve this problem, serious damages caused by pest attacks are still reported from some crop production areas. Among those several pest and diseases, Brown Plant Hopper/BPH (Nilaparvata lugens) is the one that caused severe damage in rice farming. It was recorded on 1998 in West Java that there was 84,976 hectares of rice has been damaged due to BPH and decreased the national rice production as much as 1 percent. There are some reasons for the increase of crop pest and disease attack i.e.: (1) rice planting season is not at the same schedule, (2) climate anomaly like La-Nina, where on some occasions rainfall occur during dry season. To reduce the worst impact of pest on crop production and productivity, it is needed to have an anticipated efforts and adaptation to climate change. The anticipation strategy and technology deals with adaptation to climate change and the pest attack are aspects that have to be considered in the strategic planning. To support the development of this strategic planning, information system for potential area attack of Brown Plant Hopper (Nilaparvata lugens) is needed. The objectives of this study are as follows : (1). to study climate parameters that stimulate the BPH attack, (2). to define the relationship between climate parameters and area of BPH attacked, and (3) to build information system of potential area of BPH attack on the paddy field areas. A set of historical climate and area of BPH attack are needed to know the climate parameters are influenced area of BPH attack and to predict future area of BPH attack base on climate prediction. The information system of potential area of BPH attack deals with database, models, and interface that work together over one stand alone application. The potential area of BPH attack can be displayed with spatial distribution. In the implementation phase, this information system needs future climate data prediction as an input to the model. As a result for prediction potential of area of BPH attack of January 2008, there was area that by prediction was attacked, and it was present in the field. In contrast, there was by prediction was attacked but it was absent in the field. Thus, there are other factors such as rice varieties and planting time that have to be considered in the further model development.