Sugarcane Stem Borer: Characters And Control Measures

Scientific name: &nbsp; Chilo tumidicostali .&nbsp;&nbsp;
Family: &nbsp;Pyralidae.&nbsp; &nbsp;
Order: &nbsp;Lepidoptera.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sugarcane Stem Borer

Adults are pale brown in color with the white hind wing.

A female adult lays eggs in masses, usually on the undersurface of the leaves.
Sometimes, they lay the egg on leaf sheath.
After hatching the egg, the larvae collectively bore into the stem and feed inside.
Depending on the age of the plant, two times symptoms are developed when the plant is attacked at the early stage (Just after cane formation).
The affected plant may die, and the symptom may be called the “dried top” symptom.
But when the plants are attacked later, plants usually do not die but suffer from severe damage.
The larvae feed inside, making a tunnel, and secondarily fungal infection may occur. As a result, the attacked tissues decomposed, and the sugarcane becomes unfit for human consumption.