Stem borers

Twice a week, look in the centre of each plant where the new leaves come out. If you see chewed leaves and tiny black droppings, that's Fall Armyworm. Pull a few plants apart at the bottom — if the middle leaf is wilting and brown while others are green, that's a stem-eating worm inside. Check under leaves for tiny green or black bugs in big groups (aphids).

Twice a week, check the rice. If the centre leaf of a plant is rolled into a tube like an onion, that's gall midge. Also walk the edges — rats can chew through whole patches in a single night.

Look at the leaves twice a week. Grey or white pointy spots = rice blast (a serious disease — treat right away). Yellow patches with dying plants = planthoppers (treat fast). Wilted central leaves = stem-eating worms inside.

Check at sunrise every day when the rice flowers come out. Rice bugs feed on the soft grains and leave behind empty husks. If you see a brown ring at the bottom of the flower head, that's neck blast — treat right away.