Yellow stem borer: Scirpophaga incertulas  (Walker)(Lepidoptera : Pyralidae)

Local name: Haladi Kanda Koraka

Damage symptoms

• Caterpillars bore central shoot of seedlings and tillers leading to death of central shoot called "Dead Heart".
• Panicle turn whitish, erect with chaffy spikelets and can be easily pulled out, is known as "white ears"

                 

          Dead Heart                                      White ears                   Yellow stem borer infested field

Management

Cultural practices

• Clipping of seedling before transplanting for prevention egg laying
•  Harvesting done at the base of plant in order to avoid pupae remain in the field.

Biological control

• Five to six releases of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma japonicum @1,00,000 adult parasites per hectare starting from 15 days after planting, in a crop season is effective and economical.

Chemical control

•  ETL:5-10% dead heart, 5% chaffy earhead per square   meter 1 adult/egg mass
• Spray endosulfan or monocrtophos or chloropyriphos 2ml /liter (624ml/acre) in water.
• Before sowing apply 10kg/acre of 0.3 G fipronil or carbofuron 3G @ 7.6kg/acre in soil and then go for irrigation.