Pest management in sugarcane

1. The shoot-borer
2. The stemborer or Internode-borer
3. The top-borer
4. Termites
5. White-grubs
6. The sugarcane leaf-hopper
7. The sugarcane scale
8. The mealy-bug
9. The white-flies

Host plant resistance forms the central pivot of IPM, over which other methods are superimposed. Resistance is compatible with all other methods of pest management.

1. Shoot borer : Co 312, Co 421, Co 661, Co 917, Co 853.
2. Top borer : Co 745, Co 6516
3. Internode borer : Co 975, Co 7304, CoJ 46.
4. Mealy bug : Co 439, Co 443, Co 720, Co 730, Co 7704
5. Scale : Co 439, Co 443, Co 691, Co 692.

The evidence gathered from the diversified ecosystems of India amply demonstrates the utility of appropriate cultural practices in the suppression of breeding potential of injurious insects. Sowing time, use of trap-crops, destruction of alternate hosts and crop residues are some of the cultural methods used extensively by the farmers in various ecosystems for reducing the pest damage.

• Avoidance of late planting (April-May), use of high seed-rates for the control of shoot borer.
• Collection and destruction of shoot-borer infested tillers. Earthing up the crop usually a month after planting.
• Trash-mulch along the ridges alone to a thickness of 10-15 cm after planting but within 15 days. Ensure adequate moisture to bring down the soil temperature and to increase humidity (in favourable conditions for the multiplication of early shoot borer).
• Detrash on 150^th and 210^th day to avoid leaf hopper, scale and mealy bug infestation.
• Avoid excessive use of nitrogen to control leafhopper.
• Drain excess water to control scales and mealy bugs.
• Adopt crop – rotation with paddy in white – grub endemic areas.

• To control shoot-borer and Internode borer, release egg parasitoid Trichogramma australicum or T. Chilonis @ 2.5 CC/release/ha 6 times (50, 70, 80, 90, 100 and 110 days after planting). Repeat the release from 50^th day at fortnight intervals.
• Shoot borer can be controlled by 76 gravid females of sturmiopsis inferens/ha. Apply granulosis virus of Internode borer at 1.1 x 10⁵ Ibs.ml (750 diseased larvae/ha) on 35^th and 45^th days after planting.
• Release 125 gravid females of Sturmiopsis inferens if Internode borer occurs.
• Top borer can be successfully controlled by releasing Isotima javensis at 100 pairs/ha.

500. Chemical method

Pesticides will continue to play an important role in IPM Programmes. But their use must be made compatible with other components of pest management. Physiologically selective insecticides are presently available only for a limited number of insect pests and field situations. However, even broad-spectrum insecticides may be used in an ecologically selective manner. Some of the chemical methods to control the insect pests of sugarcane are:

• Sustainability

Increasing pest problems and disruptions in agroecosystems can only be corrected by the use of holistic pest management programmes.

• Economics

IPM appears to be a more attractive alternative with lower economic costs.

• Health

In developing countries, it is impossible to implement residue limits or waiting periods for pesticides on food products and other commodities. This endangers the safety of the entire population of these countries than the safer inputs used in IPM.

• Environmental Quality

The IPM programmes do not endanger non-target organisms, nor do they pollute the soil, water and air.

(Sugarcane
Growers)