Sugarcane Root stock Borer (Pest characters, Nature of Damage and Control Measure)
Scientific Name: Emmalocera depressella.
Family: Pyralidae.
Order: Lepidoptera.
Pest characters of Sugarcane Root stock Borer
1. Adults are pale pink in color.
2. Fore wing pink in colour and hind wing white.
3. Slim and cylindrical in shape.
Nature of Damage of Sugarcane Root stock Borer
1. Female lays eggs singly on the leaves and stem or ground.
2. After hatching eggs larvae bore into the roots or underground portion of the stem.
3. Depending on the age of the plants, 2 types of damage may occur. When plants are attacked at early stage before cane formation, the central leaves die and the symptom is called “dead heart”.
4. When the plant attacked at later stage, the weight and sugar content of plant are greatly reduced.
Control Measure of Sugarcane Root stock Borer
A. Nonchemical control of Sugarcane Root stock Borer
1. Application of flood irrigation.
2. Destruction of stubbles after harvesting.
3. Avoid ratoon crop.
4. Destruction of infested plant with its roots.
5. Suitable crop rotation should be followed.
B. Chemical control of Sugarcane Root stock Borer
1. Application of Heptachlor/ Chlordane/ Dieldrin 40 WP @ 1.8 kg/acre of land.
2. Application of Furadan 5G @ 40 kg/ha for 2 times in furrows during the month of MarchApril.