Acoustic interruption on the imago of brown

planthopper and the number of offspring

produced
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 2260, 090002 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0015920
Published Online: 16 September 2020

Ahmad Ibnu Fattah An Nawawi, Suputa, and Susilo Hadi

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AIP Conference Proceedings 2260, 090002 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0015920 2260, 090002

© 2020 Author(s).
 Acoustic Interruption on The Imago of Brown Planthopper
and The Number of Offspring Produced

Ahmad Ibnu Fattah An Nawawi1, Suputa 1 and Susilo Hadi2, a)

1
Faculty of Agriculture Universitas Gadjah Mada, St. Flora, Bulaksumur, Karang Malang, Caturtunggal, Depok,
Sleman, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia.
2
Faculty of Biology Universitas Gadjah Mada, St. Teknika Selatan, Sekip Utara, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 55281,
Indonesia.
a)
Corresponding author : susilo.h@ugm.ac.id

Abstract. Brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stal.) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) is one of the important rice pest,
either in tropical and four seasoned regions. The attack of brown planthopper reached 85.989 ha and 1.969 ha of them
considered hopperburn. BPH is a sexual insect, which needs to mate to breed. This research aimed to interrupt the mating
process and to decline BPH’s offspring. The mating process started with an exchange of the acoustical signal between male
and female. These signals propagated through rice stem where male and female aligned. One alternative that can be used
in BPH control is disruption in its mating process. The principle used is to disrupt communication between male and female
through exposure of acoustical signals in the form of sound waves, so that they are not expected to mate. Sound waves
propagated in the different frequencies (0 Hz, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz, dan 200+300 Hz). Sound wave exposure adjusted
to BPH’s potential mating times (08.00-11.00, 12.00-15.00, 18.00-21.00). Result showed that BPH’s offspring after
exposure to sound waves with frequencies 0 Hz, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz, 200+300 Hz counted respectively 39,4 ; 10,64 ;
11,4 ; 22,4 ; 2,2. Exposure to sound waves might play a role in disrupting BPH’s mating process and reducing the number
of its offspring.

INTRODUCTION
Brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stal.) is one of important rice pest (Oryza sativa L) [1], either in
tropical or four seasoned regions [2]. BPH become the serious problem for rice cultivation in Indonesia. Rate of yield
loss in paddy field is directly proportional with the mount of BPH in the field. There are many ways to control its
population and most of the method are a chemical control based.
Insect have some ways in communicate each other, one of it is emitting sound waves (acoustic communication).
Acoustic communication in insect can be a base of specific behavioral determination or it can be the method of
integrated pest control [3]. The insect that can make sounds usually have special organs, those organs which made the
sound in certain frequency [4].
BPH uses acoustic communication in their mating process, the male is dancing while catching the female attention
[5]. The mating time of BPH can be disturbed by sound waves with the frequency of 200-300 Hz [5]. Based on the
acoustic communication this research is aimed to disturb the mating process and decrease the number of offspring of
BPH in the next generation using sound waves. Acoustic based uses to control BPH and it is expected to become one
of control techniques that synergizes with integrated pest management

The 6th International Conference on Biological Science ICBS 2019

AIP Conf. Proc. 2260, 090002-1–090002-5; https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0015920
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-2020-5/$30.00

090002-1
 MATERIAL AND METHOD
The research was held on October 2018 to May 2019. This research was held in Pest and Plant Science Laboratory,
Pest Vertebrates Sub Laboratory, Agriculture Faculty, Gajah Mada University. This research uses some tools, those
are aspirator, plastic glass, rearing cage, video recorder with the resolution of 1920x1080 (f=26,8-536,0 mm and
aperture 2,0-3,8), small brush, speaker with the range of frequency 20-20,000 Hz, sound meter, and thermohygrometer.
This research was implemented by some software, those are NCH tone generator, and sound spectrum analyzer. Then,
the material used in this research were water, paddy seedlings Ciherang variety in the age after seeding for about 30-
40 days, and imago brown planthopper with the age of 3-5 days.

Research Design and Data Analysis

Experiment design that use in this research is random design with 5 treatments. Each of it consists of 5 repetitions.
It can be seen as follows:
K (C) : Control (without sound waves exposure/0 HZ)
F1 : Frequency of sound waves 100 Hz
F2 : Frequency of sound waves 200 Hz
F3 : Frequency of sound waves 300 Hz
F4 : Frequency of sound waves 200+300 Hz
The sound wave that used in this research was referring to the research by Saxena and Kumar (1980) [5]. They use
sound waves of 200-300 Hz.

A A information:
40 cm
A : Speakers
10 cm
B : The place of
brown plant hopper
B B B B B
mate
10 cm C : Video recorder
C

FIGURE 1. Sound wave design in brown plant hopper.

Sound wave with the frequency of 200+300 Hz was used because it has an effect towards cotton leaf hopper
(Amrasca devastans). Sound wave with the frequency of 100 Hz was added as well. It is to know whether or not under
200 Hz frequency has an impact of mating process and number of offspring of BPH. ANOVA was used to analyze
the data. It uses Microsoft Excel to analyze it. If there will have real difference, it tests using R application. It was
using least significant difference (LSD) with level of trust reaches 95%.

Mass Breeding of Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stal.)

Brown Planthopper was bred in plastic jar which located in Pest Vertebrates Sub Laboratory, Agriculture Faculty,
Gajah Mada University, Yogyakarta. Brown planthoper got from Pest Vertebrates Sub Laboratory. Then BPH was
infested and bred in paddy seed of Ciherang Variety for about 10 days after it is seedling, it put in transparent plastic
jar. The experiment BPH was using macroptera imago and brachyptera female imago.

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 Sound Waves Exposure
Sound waves gave in the room of limit noise. The schema and the layout of exposing sound waves are based on
Fig 1. Sound waves gave for 3 times a day, it was on 08.00-11.00; 12.00-15.00; and 18.00-21.00. Ahmed et al., (2016)
[6] stated that the mating time of BPHr was on the time that mentioned before. Male imago took after giving the sound
waves, so that it is only the female in the jar.

FIGURE 2. The place of brown planthopper.

Frequency stability which taken out by speaker was monitored by smartphone-based application named sound
spectrum analyzer. Sound waves intensity emitted is maintained in the rage of 72-76 dB. During it is processed, BPH’s
act was recorded by video recorder. In this research, the treatment should be done one by one. One-time treatment is
only for one sound frequency. The analysis was done by watching the video that recorded during the treatm ent. The
description of mating time got from video analysis. The mating time happened when male BPH make copulation with
the female.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

FIGURE 3. Mating process of brown planthopper.

The result showed that BPH have done an initiation by doing an approach and doing male dance around the female
when the mating time come (Fig 2). Male brown planthopper was not only approaching the female that are ready to
mate but also, they done that to all the type of female BPH. The female cannot vibrate their abdomen after having
copulation and put their eggs down. When there is a male brown planthopper that ready to mate, the female will raise
their abdomen or they will move away.

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 50
39.4

40

Nimpha/Female 30 22.4

20 10.4 11.6

10 2.2

0
Kontrol 100 Hz 200 Hz 300 Hz 200 + 300 Hz

-10
Sound wave
FIGURE 4. Number of brown planthopper nymphs after imago was exposed to sound
waves 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz and 200+300 Hz

Sound waves frequency 100-300Hz can be couch and propagated by paddy stem and it could mess up brown
planthopper communication. Treatment F4 can decrease offspring number of BPH significantly if it is compared to K
and F3 (Fig 3). Treatment F4 consist of 2 different sound waves frequency, those are 200 Hz and 300 Hz. While F1,
F2, F3 are only consist of one sound waves frequency.
Based on video analysis, it is hardly concluded the differences act of brown planthopper control (K) and treatment
(F1, F2, F3, and F4) in significant. The act of brown planthopper is almost the same, but in F4 the act is more passive.
BPH which is not exposed by the sound waves (K) is more active and they spent lots of their time to perch in paddy
stem. This is a bit different with F1, F2, and F4 which in the range of 08.00-11.00, the hopper is longer perching in
the glass wall. There are some couples of BPH in the treatments F1 and F4 what shows close to the glass wall. That
position shows that the hoper might not to mate, and copulation is not clearly seen. Presumably when the sound wave
is exposed, the brown planthopper chooses not to alight to paddy stem, and they wait to the break time (11.00-12.00).
During the exposure time, it shows that only some of them having mate each other, both on control treatment (C)
and treatment (F1, F2, F3, and F4). At least the married brown planthopper caused by spreaded sound in paddy stem.
The other hypothesis is time shift of mating hour. Ahmed et all (2016) [6] said that mating time of brown planthopper
is on 08:00-11:00; 12:00-15:00; 18:00-21:00. Then for the used brown plant, they have different schedule, it is on
11:00-12:00 and 15:00-18:00. The break time was not recorded, so it is possible if the brown planthopper was mating
in the break time and it is not analyzed.
Over all, it can be said that there is some brown planthopper which can mate during the mating time. When the
exposed time happened, brown planthopper is not perch on paddy stem. It is suspected that the disturbing mechanism
will not occur, because mating time only happen on paddy stem. Male BPH get close to the female which perch on
the glass wall due to the received mating signal, but it is not continued to the copulation step. There is still little
reference regarding to the coherent mechanism of the brown planthopper mating process, especially regarding the
signal exchange between males and females. Mitomi et al (1984) [7] explain about organs involves in BPH abdomen,
but it is not explain about received signal by the males. The exposure sound is not directly to the BPH’s body, it is
received by paddy stem first. This is happened BPH is communicating through substrate. Naturally, there is a contact
sensor on the tarsus to receive an acoustic signal. So far, there is no literature stated that BPH can communicate
acoustically through the air.
Every treatment from F1 until F4 has significantly different results compared to the control treatment (C). The
result of F1, F2, and F3 were not giving significant different result because the sound frequency is still in the frequency
range that interfere the mating process. This is a bit different with Saxena & Kumar (1980) [5] that explain effective
sound waves frequency that interrupt mating process of brown planthopper is on 200-300 Hz, and it is more decrease
if the frequency is added (more than 300 Hz).
If two different frequencies are exposed in the same time, it will be caused new frequency. So, in treatment 4 there
are 3 types of sound wave frequencies that catch by paddy stem. Each 200 Hz and 300 Hz frequency were catch and
propagated by paddy stem, so it is better to distract BPH communication. Statistically it not shows different result

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with F1 and F2. Biologically treatment F4 is better because it can decrease the number offspring for about 2.2 tails,
while F1 and F2 were decreasing the offspring to 10.4 and 11.6.
When the matting process is not occurred or it can be occurred without optional, it gives impact to the number
offspring. Figure 3 shows that BPH can produce offspring despite being affected by sound waves. Airborne signal
with the frequency of 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz and 200+300 Hz are fathomed not interfere the process of brown
planthopper mating time in 100%.

CONCLUSION

The exposure sound waves frequency of 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz and 200+300 Hz are used to distract the mating
process of brown planthopper, and it is also decreasing the number of offspring. Biologically, sound wave 200+300
Hz is better to decrease the number of offspring rather than sound wave 200 Hz.

REFERENCES

1. S. S. Sosromarsono, S. Wardojo, Adisoemarto, and Y.R. Suhardjono. Nama Umum Serangga [Common Insect
Names]. (Perhimpunan Entomologi Indonesia, Bogor, 2007)
2. J. Piyaphongkul, J. Pritchard, and J. Bale. 2012. Nilaparvata lugens Stal. PLoS One. 7 (1) (2012).
3. N.C. Aflitto, and R.W. Hofstetter. Pesticide Management Science. 70, pp. 1808 – 1814 (2014).
4. T.G Forrest. The Florida Entomologist. 65 (1), pp. 33 – 34 (1982).
5. K.N Saxena, and H. Kumar. Experientia. 36, pp. 933 – 936 (1980).
6. A.M. Ahmed, R. Muhamad, D. Omar, I.V. Grozescu, D.L. Majid, and G. Manjeri. Pakistan Journal Zoology. 48(1).
pp. 11 – 23 (2016).
7. M. Mitomi, T. Ichikawa and H. Okamoto. Applied Entomology and Zoology. 19 (4). pp. 407-417 (1984).

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