rEOCEEDIXGS OF THE THIED EXTOMOLOGICAL MEETING. 695 



the variety of paddy known as ngachima. They appeared again in 

 1917. In 1918, their attack was almost insignificant. The plots, in 

 wliich they were found in large numbers, were not manured ; but they 

 were also present in the plots which had been treated with nitrogenous 

 manures. The yield of the attacked plots was seriously affected. 

 Probably the same kind of worms was also found in the soil of the plots 

 wherein sickly plants were seen. 



The worms are foimd under the sheaths, in the tissues of the sheaths 

 and among the roots of the rooting paddy transplants which are said 

 to emit a bad smell. 



Personal observations in September 1918 showed in many plots 

 plants with the outer leaves rotting and apparently looking like plants 

 infested with red worms, but thereVas no trace of the worms inside 

 them. Besides, many of these uninfested rotting plants also emitted 

 a bad smell like the infested ones. From this it is presumed that the 

 decay and the bad smell may. not be due to the presence of the worms. 

 The plants probably suffer from some disease or something is wrong 

 with the soil. The ngachima and a few other varieties of jDaddy show 

 signs of a fungus disease, under the attack of which the outer leaves 

 are first affected ; the upper parts of the leaves dry up and the lower 

 ones in contact with water decay. Manured as well as unmanured 

 plots showed the presence of this disease. . It was worse in plots manured 

 with nitrate of soda. 



Specimens of the diseased leaves from various plots were collected 

 and sent to the Imperial Mycologist, Pusa, for identification. He 

 says, 



" In the specimens from the field manured with potassium sulphate, 

 fungus hyphje can be traced in the collar. As there is no 

 fructification, it is not possible to say whether these hyphae 

 belong to Rhizoctonia or Sderotium Onjzm. Complete plants 

 should be sent for examination, as the trouble is very hkely at 

 the roots or at the collar. The dried leaves, that have been 

 sent, do not show the presence of any parasitic organism." 



It has not been definitely ascertained whether the worms attack 

 the green tissues of the plants and cause decay or whether they 

 follow the decay brought about by some other cause at present un- 

 known. 



The knowledge of the food-habits of the worms and the identifica- 

 tion of the fungus disease under suspicion will probably solve the pro- 

 blem, which puzzles us at present. 



