Damage to rice tillers was assessed at tillering or
primordial stage (50–55 days after planting), booting
(70–75 d.a.p.), or a week prior to harvest (105 d.a.p.).
From the 2001/2002 wet season, damage was assessed
at booting stage, milky stage (85–90 d.a.p.) and a
week prior to harvest. In each village, five line
transects to assess damage were established and
sampling was conducted at five positions along each
transect (5, 25, 50, 75 and 100 m from the edge of the
rice crop). The number of freshly cut tillers, tillers
recovering from damage and undamaged tillers per
hill were counted at every fifth hill at 908 to each
transect (for a total sample of 10 hills in each transect).
The five line transects were at least 100 m apart