Pheromone Chemicals

(Sugarcane internode borer)– In India it is considered to be a major pest of Sugarcane. The pest appears late in the growing phase of the crop and is active in the post-monsoon and harvest periods. The larvae infest the soft internodes, 80% of attack is being noticed generally on the first five internodes. The attack is severe on autumnplanted crop than spring-planted crop. Attacked canes lose weight considerably and juice quality also deteriorates. About 20 to 50% canes are infested. Low temperature and high humidity are favorable for the multiplication of the insect.
Distribution : Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharsahtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Harayana.

Life cycle

Egg: Scale – like white eggs are laid by female moths in batches of 9-11, near the midribs,
on leaf sheaths or on stem.
Larva: White larva with four violet longitudinal stripes and light brown head.
Pupa: Pupation takes place in semi – dried sheath. Pupal period 7-10 days.
Adult: Straw coloured with a dark spot on each of the fore wings.

Host plants

Sorghum, Maize, Bulrush millet, Sugarcane, Rice.

Damage

The eggs are laid in batches on the sheathing leaves and 9-11 white, scale like eggs in two rows are seen in each batch.. The larvae that hatch out from the eggs in about three days ore near the nodes and feed on the inner contents making the tissue turn red. The bore hole is plugged with excreta and the larvae migrate and attack a number of nodes. Number of bored internodes in a cane range from seven to 14.The larva is white with dark spots on the body and a brown head. In about a month the larvae becomes fully grown and pupates in the leaf sheath. The adult is pale brown with white hind wings, and emerges in a week. The life cycle completes in six weeks. Yield loss: 34.88%, sugar recovery: 1.7 to 3.07%