Cultural Management

  • Maintain optimum shade in the estates.
  • Trace the infested plants - flight periods (i.e, during March and September)
  • Every year - monitor for ridges on the main stem and thick primaries.
  • Prune the collars of infested plants, uproot and burn the affected parts.
  • Remove the loose scaly bark of the main stem and thick primaries using coir glove or coconut husk to kill the eggs
  • Scrubbing during flight periods - kill the eggs and grubs present in the bark region.
  • Deep scrubbing should be avoided (sharp implement may injure the green wood and eventually kill the plant)
  • Spraying the main stem and thick primaries with neem seed kernel extract may afford good control of the pest.
  • Field release of predators Apenesia sp. for effective control of white stem borer
  • The grubs are parasitized by Metapelma sp. and Campyloneurus sp.
  • Field release of white muscardine fungus Beaveria bassiana (2.5 %)