October 2013. Symptoms of sudden death of rice have been seen in Yen Dung district, Bac Giang province, northern Vietnam. The situation is described as follows:

• When symptoms are first seen the root system is 80-90% dead.
• The population of panicle rice mites Steneotarsonemus spinki Smiley) is very high.
• This symptom occurs mainly on Khang dan variety but also on others.
• The time from initial to the last symptom is about 7-10 days only.

Is it possible that the panicle rice mite can lead to the dead of the whole root system of rice plants?

A member from Mexico said that they had found the same mite and fungus affecting large areas of rice. The fungus was also recorded in Western Australia in 2012. A note to that affect is recorded here.