OVERVIEW OF RICE LEAF FOLDER, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis AND UNDERSTANDING ITS MANAGEMENT THROUGH BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND GENETIC APPROACHES - Muhammad Shakeel; Naeem Sarwar; Ashraf Khan; Juan Du; Aleena Alam; Yang Guangming; Shangwei Li (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2026)
The rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, is a serious pest of rice causing economic losses worldwide. The larva spins a rice leaf longitudinally to feed inside the mesophyll tissues, affecting grain quality and lowering crop yield. Synthetic insecticide applications have traditionally controlled C. medinalis; however, over time, field populations resistant to different insecticides were reported, compromising chemical-based control measures. This review article covers different aspects related to the taxonomy and morphology, life history and biology, damage and economic impacts, distribution and ecology, and rearing methods of C. medinalis. It deals with current management approaches, including monitoring and forecasting, cultural and ecological control, biological control and host plant resistance, and synthetic and plant-derived pesticides. Furthermore, it also focuses on insecticide resistance and the latest advances in molecular biology, genomics, transcriptomic, RNA interference, and gut microbiome research, aiming to achieve sustainable control of C. medinalis. Nevertheless, many molecular mechanisms remain functionally unverified, and practical challenges associated with RNAi delivery and field application persist. Future research should focus on integrated pest management strategies combining biological, ecological, molecular, and chemical tools to achieve sustainable control. In addition, resistance monitoring, durable host plant resistance, functional genomics, artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and climate-based forecasting systems may contribute to the development of environmentally safe, economically feasible, and long-term integrated pest management programs.
Keywords: journal article; Rice leaf folder; molecular studies; integrated pest management; chemical control; biological control