Climbing Cutworm

The adult moth is stout and red brown in colour. The eggs are laid in batches on leaf sheaths. The young larvae feed on leaf tissue. The damage is prominent at earhead stage. The full grown caterpillars climb the plant and cut off the earhead or rachis of the earhead. The larvae hide at the base of the plant during day time and feed voraciously at night. The full grown caterpillar is long, stout and greenish black with longitudinal pale stripes. The infested crop presents a dried look and plants easily break at the nodes. ETL is 4- larvae/m². Heavy late rains after a long draught favour pest multiplication.

Management

• Spray with water suspension of entomophilic nematode, Neoaplectara sp. (DD-136) in the clumps.
• Avoid excess use of nitrogen.
• Set up traps to monitor and control population.