Cultural Management

  • Systematic collection of egg masses and their destruction.
  • Removal of dead hearts and their destruction.
  • Trash mulching which not only checks the population but also conserves soil moisture and adds the organic matter to the soil.
  • Planting in deep trenches reduces the borer incidence.
  • Adjusting the planting dates to avoid the peak oviposition since minimum incidence is observed in November and December planting whereas maximum incidence is in January and February planting.
  • Quick growing varieties escape heavy infestation – Attack will be more in thin varieties than in thick ones.
  • Light earthing up of soil up to 4-6week old crop to make the stem inaccessible tolarvae followed by frequent irrigations.
  • Installation of light traps.
  • The release of egg parasites, Trichogramma minutum; T. australicum is reported to have given good control of this pest at many places.
  • Use resistant varieties like CO 312, CO 421, CO 661, CO 917 and CO 853
  • Sugarcane intercropped with Daincha recorded the lowest early shoot borer incidence.
  • Ensure adequate moisture to bring down the soil temperature and increase humidity (unfavourable condition for the multiplication of early shoot borer).
  • Partial earthing up on 45 days after planting reduces the incidence.
  • Install pheromone traps @ 10/ha for surveillance and monitoring, change the septa/lure once in 30 days.
  • Apply granulosis virus along with teepol twice on 35 and 50 DAP.
  • Release 125 gravid females of Sturmiopsis inferens a tachinid parasite per ac.