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Insect Pests of Sugarcane

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Chapter - 4

Insect Pests of Sugarcane

Archita Das1, Arbud Lala1*

1
[Link]. Research Scholar, Division of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research
Institute, New Delhi-110012
*
Corresponding author’s email- arbudlala@[Link]

Introduction
Sugarcane is the major commercial crop in many tropical and subtropical countries
and is the main source of sugar produced worldwide. With a total production of 1.83
billion tonnes, it is grown on 26.0 million hectares in more than 90 countries (FAO,
2012). India is the second-largest producer of sugarcane, behind Brazil (Sathyagopal
et al.,2014). Being an important crop globally, it faces a spectrum of challenges that
significantly impact its yield and quality. Among these challenges, insects stand out as
a persistent and formidable [Link] borers cause farmers to lose 8–10% of their
yield and the sugar industry to lose 10–15% of sugar recovery. At a national level,
these pests lead to a massive loss of 25.5 million tonnes, as reported by Jasmine et
al., [Link] pesticides have had limited success in managing insects such
as moth borers, white grubs, and [Link], there is a growing emphasis
on biocontrol methods to be included in pest management as a viable option to
reduce insect pest damages.
 57

Insect pests of Sugarcane

Pests of Sugarcane
Borer pests Sucking pests Subterranean pests
Early shoot borer Leaf hopper White grub
Top shoot borer Whitefly Termite
Internode borer Woolly aphid
Stalk borer Scale
Root borer Mealy bug
Gurdaspur borer
Plassey borer

Borer Pests of Sugarcane

1. Early Shoot Borer: Chilo infuscatellus Snellen (Crambidae, Lepidoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle

Egg -The eggs are flat and scale like which are laid in masses, arranged in overlapping
rows, and are found either in the basal or middle region of the lamina (Bhavani,
2013) or on the underside of leaves(Kumar et al., 2004). Incubation period is from
4 to 7 days.
Larva-Hatching takes place within 4-6 days. The larva exhibits a coloration of dirty
white, adorned with five distinct dark violet longitudinal stripes, accompanied by a
dark brown [Link] larva infiltrates the space between the initial leaf sheath and
stem, adopting a leaf miner-like behaviour by consuming the inner tissue of the leaf
sheath for a brief period. Subsequently, it penetrates into the stalk and terminates
the growth point. The larval period is 16-30 days.
Pupa- The pupation process occurs within the tunnel (Usman et al., 1957). Prior to
pupating, the caterpillar creates a sizable exit hole in the stem and seals the opening
with silken discs. Pupal period lasts for 7 days.
Adult- The mature stage presents as a pale greyish-brown moth featuring black dots
near the coastal margin of the forewings, complemented by white hind wings. The
average sex ratio (male: female) is 1:2.28 (Bhavani, 2013). The life cycle is concluded
within a span of 27 to 133 days (Avasthy&Tiwari ,1986).
Damage symptoms- The formation of a dead heart becomes apparent in crops
aged 1-3 months, easily detachable upon inspection. The caterpillar infiltrates the
central shoot, consuming internal tissue and inducing the dead heart phenomenon.
58

Initially, the young larvae engage in feeding on the outer leaves of shoots. As they
progress into the third instar, as noted by Easwaramoorthy& Nandagopal in 1986,
they do transition to tunnelling into the stem. The decomposed section of the straw-
coloured shoot releases a foul odour. Numerous bore holes are evident at the base
of the shoot, positioned just above ground level.

2. Top shoot borer: Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker (Pyralidae, Lepidoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg-Clusters of eggs are deposited on the lower surface of the upper leaves,especially
in close proximity to the midribs, covered by an orange (in subtropical regions) or
a dull golden-yellow-coloured (in tropical regions) hair mass originating from the
anal tuft of the adult [Link] egg period ranges from 5 to 6 days in the tropics
and 6 to 12 days in subtropical areas, contingent on the prevailing temperature.
Larva- Smooth, white or cream-colored, featuring a red mid-dorsal line, and
possessing a yellow [Link] larval stage undergoes four instars over a period of
20 to 45 days.
Pupa- Pupation occurs inside the larval tunnel within a chamber that is constructed
by the caterpillar and features an exit [Link] period varies from 6 to 8 days.
Adult-The moth is characterized by its white colour, with the female displaying a
buff orange-coloured anal tuft of hairs.
Damage symptoms- The top borer typically creates leaf mines, shot holes on
opened leaves, atrophied central shoots, stunting of cane, and sprouting of axial
buds, resulting in the formation of a bunchy top. Dead heart condition in mature
canes is characterized by a state where the affected portion cannot be easily pulled
or [Link] early and distinctive symptom of the attack is the tunnelling by
the first instar larva into the midrib, causing a white streak that later turns reddish.
3. Internode Borer (INB): Chilo sacchariphagus indicus Kapur (Crambidae,
Lepidoptera)
Identification marks and life cycle
Egg - The female moths deposit scale-like white eggs in groups of 9-11, usually
near the midribs, on leaf sheaths or on the stem and the fecundity ranges from 320
to 380 eggs.
Larva - The larva undergoes five to six larval instars over a span of 25–35 days. The
overall larval period ranges from 35 to 54 [Link] larva is white, featuring four
violet longitudinal stripes and a light brown head.
 59

Pupa - Prior to pupation, a mature larva exits the tunnel and seeks refuge under a
closely fitting leaf sheath on the cane, where it pupates within a silken cocoon(Kalra,
1964; Davidet al., 1986) as well as inside the stem (Yalawar et al., 2010).The pupa
initially appears light brown and later darkens after 6–7 days. The pupal stage lasts
for a duration ranging from 8 to 10 days.
Adult - The moths exhibit a straw-coloured appearance with a small dark spot on
each of the forewings; males are smaller and darker in colour compared to females.
The entire life cycle spans a period of 50–70 days.
Damage symptom-The borer initiates its activity shortly after internode formation,
and the damage persists until harvest. The newly hatched larva feeds on the ligule
region and the inner side of the leaf sheath by scraping the epidermis for a period of
7–8 [Link] begin to attack sugarcane plants approximately three months
after planting. This results in constricted and shortened internodes, accompanied
by numerous boreholes. The boreholes are often sealed with fresh excreta in the
nodal region.

4. Stalk Borer: Chilo auricilius Dudgeon (Crambidae, Lepidoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -The eggs are scale-like and are laid in masses, organized in two to five overlapping
parallel layers(Chaudhary& Sharma, 1986) on the lower side of the leaves, as well
as on dry cane leaves and trash. The incubation period spans from 4 to 10 days.
Larva - The newly hatched larva is characterized by a creamy white colour and
typically goes through five instars during its [Link] fully grown larva
displays five violet stripes along the length of its body. The larval period spans from
16 to 51 days.
Pupa -Pupation occurs within the tunnel formed by the larva. The pupal period ranges
from 6 to 10 days during March to October and extends to 20–24 days in January.
Adult - The moths exhibit straw-coloured forewings adorned with several golden
spots on the periphery. Their light straw-coloured hindwings are complemented by
a silvery fringe. On average, the adult male has a lifespan of 2.1–4.9 days, while that
of females ranges from 2.8 to 5.0 days.
Damage symptoms- The larvae initially move on the upper surface of the leaf for
approximately 15 minutes, but subsequently, they move downward and seek shelter
inside the top leaf [Link], two to six larvae mine within a single leaf sheath,
leading to the decay of the sheath and eventually causing the entire leaf to dry up.
60

[Link] Borer: Acigona steniellus Hampson (Crambidae, Lepidoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -The eggs are deposited in clusters and initially appear flat, scaly, and transparent.
Over time, they undergo a transformation, changing from a creamy white to a
brown colour (Easwaramoorthy& Agarwal, 1986).The egg stage lasts for 9–11 days
(Kalra, 1979).
Larva-The larva is characterized by a creamy white body with an orange-brown head.
Additionally, it features four longitudinal violet stripes along its body(Gupta, 1958).
Pupa - The pupae exhibit a yellowish-brown coloration with reddish-brown stripes
and numerous microscopic spines on abdominal segments. The pupal stage has a
duration ranging from 6 to 13 days(Gupta, 1954; Kalra, 1963).
Adult - The forewings of the moth are of a pale grey-brown colour, featuring several
blackish spots along the outer margins. The hindwings are white in colour.
Damage symptoms- An entrance hole created by the larvae is consistently located
on an internode without a sheath, and it is never below the third internode from the
top. The larvae feed collectively within galleries in a spiral pattern, creating minute
punctures on the rind from the inside. Externally, the tunnel manifests as a dark
spiral formed by a series of punctures.

[Link] Borer: Emmalocera depressella Swinhoe (Pyralidae, Lepidoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -The eggs, which are flat, scale-like, and creamy white, are laid individually on
the undersurface of the leaves along the midrib. The fecundity was observed to be
generally more than 200 eggs (Singh et al.,1996).
Larva - The larval period ranges from 23 to 43 days during the summer and is longer
during the rainy season and winter.
Pupa - The mature whitecoloured larva, before pupation, creates an opening at the
exterior end and builds a silky pupal tube extending to the soil surface, facilitating
the emergence of the adult. Occasionally, pupation takes place in the silken tube
outside the cane. The pupal stage lasts for 7–11 days during the summer and rainy
seasons and 8–14 days during winter.
Adult - The moths have straw-coloured forewings and whitish hindwings. The life
cycle is completed in 30–73 days, varying depending on the season and region.
Damage symptoms-
This pest targets the underground stalk portion of the cane, and the extent of damage
 61

varies with the crop’s stage. In the early stages, particularly during May–June, the
result is the formation of dead hearts that are difficult to pull out, and they do not
produce an offensive smell as seen in the case of shoot borers(Srikanth et al., 2012).
Borer attacks have been observed to lead to both yield loss and a reduction in sucrose
content in affected crops.

7. Plassey Borer: Chilo tumidicostalis Hampson (Crambidae, Lepidoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -Egg masses are laid on the underside of the top one to three leaves in two to
four tiers. Occasionally, eggs may also be deposited on the leaf sheath and stalk. On
average, females lay approximately 287 eggs, and the eggs hatch within 8–11 days.
Larva - The larva hatches synchronously from the egg mass in 7 days and then
penetrates into the tender [Link] larva displays four longitudinal stripes,
which can be brown, black, or pink, with complete crochets. There is significant
polymorphism, resulting in larvae of four different types. A typical larva has four
broad pinkish stripes present sub dorsally and laterally in pairs. The larva undergoes
six to seven instars over a period of 61–121 days.
Pupa - The larva pupates inside the cane, and the pupal stage lasts for 7–10 days.
Adult - The moths are cinnamon brown, featuring a terminal series of black spots
externally broken by small silvery white points. In male moths, the hindwings are
mostly whitish, except for a few light brown scales in the costal area.
Damage symptoms- The presence of the borer is indicated by a dried crown
onsugarcane. There are two forms of attack. In primary infestation, numerous larvae
aggregate in the top 3 to 5 internodes, causing red frass and drying of the top leaves.
The affected internodes break easily, with sett roots developing in adjacent nodes.
Secondary infestation occurs when grown-up larvae disperse to lower healthy
portions or neighbouring canes.

Management of Borers-
Cultural control
» Planting sugarcane in December to January helps to avoid early shoot borer
infestation.
» Earthing up slightly 45 days after planting decreases the occurrence of
borer pests.
» Three days after planting, apply trash mulching along the ridges with a
thickness of 10-15 cm.
62

» Avoid intercropping with maize or sorghum.

» In subtropical climates, it is advisable to opt for autumn planting as it helps
evade borer attacks during the subsequent winter months, as suggested by
Srikanth et al. (2012). However, in tropical regions, planting in July–August
is discouraged due to the increased risk of higher infestation of TSB.
» To minimize infestation of internode borer (INB), it is recommended to
avoid autumn planting (Mukunthan &Rakkiyappan, 1989)
» In subtropical regions, planting spices such as coriander, onion, and garlic, or
crops like potato and green gram through intercropping helps in decreasing
the occurrence of shoot borers. In tropical areas, intercropping with pulses
like green gram, black gram, soybean, or coriander has been found effective
in reducing borer incidence.

Varietal resistance
» Opt for resistant varieties such as CO 312, CO 421, CO 661, and CO 917
for ESB.
» Utilize resistant varieties such as CO 419, CO 745, and CO 6516, along with
tolerant varieties like CO 859, CO 1158, and CO 7224 for managing TSB.
» Use resistant varieties like CO 975, COJ 46 and CO 7304 against INB.

Mechanical Control
» Pheromone traps were installed at a density of 25 traps per hectare two
weeks after planting, and the lure was replaced after 30 days to diminish
the moth population.
» Egg masses should be collected at 4-day intervals and destroyed.
» Remove plants showing symptoms of dead heart and ensure their proper
disposal to prevent further spread of the issue.
» For managing TSB, establishing sex pheromone traps at a density of 50
traps per hectare for the initial two broods, operational for up to 30 days
for each brood in subtropical regions, has been shown to decrease moth
population and mitigate the severity of subsequent broods, as indicated by
Srikanth et al. (2012).
» It is recommended to remove and destroy late shoots or water shoots at the
time of harvest as a preventive measure to manage stalk borer (Kalra, 1979).
» Detrash the crop on the 150th and 210th day of planting to dislodge pupae
 63

that may remain in the leaf sheath for managing INB.

» Removing dry leaves from the canes once in September or October is
beneficial in preventing serious damage caused by C. auricilius (Kalra, 1979).

Biological Control
» Sturmiopsis inferens is a typical parasitoid against ESB characterized by
moderate levels of parasitism, occasionally reaching up to 20%.
» The release of Trichogramma chilonis has long been recommended for
internode borer control. Recent studies suggest that weekly releases of 5
cc/ha during the 5–11 months age of the crop can effectively reduce both
the incidence and intensity of the borer.
» Isotima javensis shows high efficiency as a natural parasitoid in field conditions
against TSB.
» The release of Trichogramma chilonis at a rate of 2.5 cc/ha at 10–15-day
intervals, starting from July, has been reported to be effective in reducing
the level of infestation of stalk borer.
» The presence of the predatory ant, Crematogaster subnuda Mayr, in fields
with trash mulching and weeds is associated with a lower incidence of stalk
borer (Srivastava, 2008).

Chemical Control
» The application of 12.5 kg of Carbaryl + Sevimol 4% G, along with 33 kg
of Carbofuran 3G, through soil application, should be promptly followed
by irrigation.
» The application of either 1 kg a.i./ha of Carbofuran 3G or 3 kg a.i./ha
of Thimet 10G, conducted ten days before the start of the third brood in
subtropical India. This is achieved by opening a small furrow near the root
zone, placing the granules, and then providing light irrigation.
» Avoid the use of excessive nitrogenous fertilizers.
» The combination of sett dipping in chlorpyrifos 20 EC at a concentration
of 0.1% a.i./ha, along with soil application of chlorpyrifos 20 EC at a rate
of 1.5 kg a.i./ha lowers the incidence of internode borer (INB).
64

Sucking Pests of Sugarcane

1. Leaf Hopper: Pyrilla perpusilla Walker (Lophopidae, Hemiptera)

Identification marks and life cycle

Egg -Females deposit white to greenish-yellow eggs, measuring 0.9–1.0 mm in
length and 0.45–0.64 mm in width. These eggs are laid during the day on both the
abaxial and adaxial surfaces of the leaves along the [Link] lay approximately
20–50 eggs at a time, with a lifetime fecundity ranging from 37 to 880 eggs. The
incubation period varies with the season and can span from 6 to 30 days.
Nymph- There are five nymphal instars, and each instar lasts for 7 to 10 [Link]
entire nymphal period is completed in 134 days. In North India, some observations
suggest six nymphal instars. Each nymphal instar features characteristic anal filaments
that are slightly longer than the body.
Adult –The adult Pyrilla perpusilla is a soft-bodied insect, pale tawny-yellow in
colour, with the head prominently drawn [Link] adult life span ranges from
14 to 200 days, with females typically living slightly longer than [Link] total life
cyclefrom egg to the adult stage, is completed in 40–42 days during summer and
extends up to 200 days during winter. There are typically four to five generations in
a year (Agarwal&Butani,1976).
Damage symptoms- Both adults and nymphs of Pyrilla perpusilla feed on phloem sap
from leaves, excreting honeydew on the foliage. This can lead to the development of
sooty mold. The direct and indirect damage caused by their feeding adversely affects
sugar yield and [Link] a consequence of attack, there is a notable reduction in sucrose
content and purity in juice, ranging from 2.0% to 34.2% and 5 to 12 units, respectively.

[Link]: Aleurolobus barodensis and Neomaskellia bergii Sign (Aleyrodidae,

Hemiptera)
Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -Females lay eggs in a line near the midrib or anywhere on the lower surface
of the leaves. The eggs are initially yellowish with a small curved stalk, and their
colour changes to black about two hours after being [Link] period lasts for 8–10
days but may prolong to 39 days in winter.
Nymph and pupa - The neonate nymphs are initially pale yellow, flat, and oval, later
transforming into a shiny black colour. The body is surrounded by fringes of wax.
The fourth instar, which is also the pupal stage, is flat, oval, and greyish in colour,
slightly larger than the nymph. There is a ‘T’-shaped white marking on the thorax,
 65

which splits at the time of adult [Link] durations of the first, second, third
and fourth instars vary from 2–4, 4–5, 3–5 and 10–15 days, respectively.
Adult –The adult has a pale-yellow body with hyaline wings dusted with a waxy
bloom. They exhibit brisk fluttering [Link] total life cycle is typically
completed in 25–47 days. However, this cycle is extended to 119–130 days in winter.
Damage symptoms- Whiteflyinfestation manifests through yellowing and paling
of leaves, progressing to pinkish or purple discoloration, gradual drying, and the
appearance of white leaves with black dots. In severe cases, the affected area may
exhibit a fiery appearance. This infestation significantly hampers plant growth,
leading to slow development.

3. Sugarcane Woolly Aphid (SWA): Ceratovacuna lanigera Zehntner (Aphididae,

Hemiptera)

Identification marks and life cycle

Egg -The eggsare spherical and yellow in colour, and they are microscopic in size.
Nymph - The developmental period of the pale-yellow nymph ranges from 6 to
22 days. These apterous forms multiply abundantly, forming large colonies with
thousands of individuals on the undersurface of leaves, sheltered from direct sunlight.
Winged forms play a role in plot-to-plot or long-distance dispersal, while active
first instar nymphs disperse to adjacent leaves or plants in the contiguous canopy
during the morning hours.
Adult – The aphid consistently reproduces asexually through parthenogenesis, giving
birth to young ones through vivipary, and these offspring are exclusively females.
Typically, the aphid produces wingless (apterous) forms. However, towards the end
of the season, especially when faced with competition for food and space, winged
(alates) females are generated. These winged individuals are characterized by their
black colour, two pairs of transparent wings, clear wing venation, and the absence of
waxy secretions on the [Link] average fecundity of apterous (wingless) adults was
recorded at 60 aphids, while that of alate (winged) adults ranged from 10 to 30 aphids.
Damage symptoms- The infestation of Ceratovacuna lanigera is characterized by
the congregation of a large number of white-coloured nymphs and adults on the
underside of leaves. This leads to symptoms such as yellowing and drying of leaves
from the tip along the margins. Eventually, the leaves become brittle and dry
completely. The heavy secretion of honeydew contributes to the development of
sooty mold. Additionally, there is a deposition of woolly matter on the ground or
soil, which is distinctly visible.
66

4. Scale Insect: Melanaspis glomerata Green (Diaspididae, Hemiptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -The adult femalelays 270–400 elongate, narrow, and ovoid eggs. These eggs
are rounded at both the anterior and posterior ends.
Nymph -The nymphs or crawlers of the scale insect hatch within the body of the
mother and then exit through the genital aperture. In the first three instars, there
are no morphological differences between males and females.
Adult –The scale insects appear as greyish-black or brown circular scales, covering
the nodal region and forming a thick [Link] life cycle of the female scale
insect varies, lasting from 39 to 49 days in summer and extending from 50 to 57
days in winter.
Damage symptoms- The symptoms of a scale insect attack in the field become
noticeable only when heavy populations cover the entire cane, resulting in a greyish-
black appearance due to encrustation. Large colonies of various stages feeding on
cane sap leads to a loss of general vigour in the crop, causing it to shrivel up and
exhibit stunted growth. Consequently, cane yield, percentage of juice extraction,
juice quality, and jaggery production all suffer reductions. Additionally, the use of
infested setts for planting hampers germination, reaching levels of 11.3–33.3% in
different varieties(Srikanth et al., 2012).

5. Sugarcane Mealybug: Saccharicoccus sacchari (Pseudococcidae, Hemiptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -In this species, no ovisac is present, and the eggs are laid in a chain underneath
the abdomen. The incubation period for these eggs is approximately 14 hours.
Nymph - Newly emerged nymphs of the scale insect are highly active and have a
pinkish transparent body.
Adult - The adult females of the scale insect are notably pink in colour, featuring a
round- or dumbbell-shaped, clearly segmented body. In contrast, the adult males are
delicate, winged insects and are not as commonly observed as the relatively larger,
wingless females.
Damage symptoms- Pinkish oval insects with a whitish mealy coating are found
beneath leaf sheaths on the nodes, and they may also attack the main cane and roots.
The presence of honeydew produced by these insects can lead to the development
of sooty mould, giving a blackish appearance to the canes, which in turn attracts
black ants. Yellowing of leaves is another symptom associated with this infestation.
 67

Management of sucking pests-

Cultural control
» Implementing drip irrigation during prolonged drought periods and ensuring
proper drainage during the monsoon can be effective in water management
to prevent pest outbreaks.
» Managing nutrient levels by avoiding excessive doses and refraining from
late nitrogen application proves to be helpful in pest control.
» Keep the fields and bunds free from weeds.
» It is recommended to avoid repeated ratooning for managing scale insects.
» Paired row system of planting should be followed.

Varietal resistance
» Co8147, CoR-41, Co86006, Co85010, Co87021 and Co87023 are most
resistant against sugarcane Pyrilla.
» Use resistant varieties like CO 439, CO 443, CO 453, CO 671, CO 691
and CO 692 against scales.

Mechanical Control
» Trimming and disposing of affected leaves are effective measures in preventing
the spread of the pest (Ananthanarayana et al., 1984; Bhavani & Rao, 2013).
» Detrashing of sugarcane at the 5th and 7th months often done reduce the
risk of infestation of whitefly, scales and mealy bug.
Biological Control
» The recommended approach for control of scales involves releasing Chilocorus
nigritus or Pharoscymnus horni egg cards at a rate of 5cc per acre.
» The release of hymenopteran parasitoids such as Anabrotepis mayurai,
Cheiloneurus sp, and predatory mites like Saniosulus nudus and Tyrophagus
puttseartiae, which feed on scale insects, is advised.
» Encourage natural predators (Diapha aphidivora, Ishchiodon scutellaris,
Episyrphus baleatus, Chrysopa sp., Schymnus sp., Cheilomenes sexmaculata,
Coccinella septempunctata, Synnonycha grandis, Brumus sp., Dideopsis aegrota)
and pathogens (Cladosporium oxysporum, Metarhizium anisopliae, Verticillium
lecanii, Beauveria bassiana) for effective control of sugarcane woolly aphid.
68

Chemical Control
» Insecticide sprays containing malathion (50 EC) at 0.1%, dimethoate (30
EC) at 0.1%, or acephate (75% SP) at 0.15% can be targeted and restricted
to border areas.
» In case of a severe infestation, the recommended action is to detrash (remove
excess plant material) and spray with a solution containing dimethoate 30
EC at a rate of 1 ml per litre, mixed with fish oil resin soap at a concentration
of 2.5 ml per litre on growing points and clump region.
» Apply fenitrothion 50 EC at a rate of 2 litres per hectare using 1000 litres
of spray fluid. Also, use thiamethoxam 25 WG at 125g per hectare, mixed
with 750 litres of spray fluid. Additionally, spray acephate at a concentration
of 2g per litre of water. Repeat the spray after one month to target nymphs
emerging from eggs for comprehensive control of whitefly.

Subterranean Pests of Sugarcane

1. White Grub : Holotrichia consanguinea/ Holotrichia serrata (Scarabaeidae,
Coleoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle

Egg -A female lays an average of 27 pear-like eggs in the soil, each enclosed in
earthen cells. The eggs hatch within 7–10 days.
Grub- Grubs are fleshy ‘C’ shaped, whitish yellow in [Link] instar grubs,
emerging after 10–12 days, initially feed on the roots of grasses or organic matter,
later switching to sugarcane roots. In each of the first two instars, there is a short
one-month period, but during the third instar, grubs feed voraciously on sugarcane
roots for 3–4 months. The larval stage lasts from 8 to 10 weeks in H. consanguinea
and from 20 to 25 weeks in H. serrata.
Pupa- Pupae are tan to brown and are found deeper in the soil within earthen chambers.
Adult - Adult beetles are initially a rusty-red colour just after emerging from the
pupal stage but gradually turn nearly black over time.
Damage symptoms- Affected canes collapse, dry up, and become unsuitable for
crushing or planting. In these fields, affected clumps often harbour seven to ten
grown-up grubs in the root region. The adults feed on the underground portion of
the stem, leading to the drying of plants within a week. Afterward, the beetles move
to other shoots. The adult of H. serrata feeds on the foliage of host trees, such as
neem, Ailanthus sp., acacia (Acacia arabica), Prosopis sp., Ziziphus sp., etc.
 69

While the first instar grub feeds only on organic matter in the soil, the second
instar progressively consumes more green plant materials, and the third instar feeds
voraciously on the roots of the host plant.

2. Termites: Odontotermes obesus Rhamb (Termitidae, Isoptera)

Identification marks and life cycle
Egg -The egg is dull, kidney-shaped, and hatches in 30-90 [Link] eggs of termite
hatch in 10 days or even much later, after 50–60 days of incubation, resulting in the
presence of young ones of various sizes in the colony.
Nymph- The nymphal period is 1 year, and the total number of individuals in a
colony range from 4500 to 90000 in the case of [Link] moult 8-9 times and
reach full maturity in 6-12 months.
Adult – Creamy-coloured tiny insects resembling ants with a dark-coloured head.
Termite activity increases immediately after rains when the soil particles are compacted.
Damage symptoms- Characterized by semi-circular feeding marks on the margins
of the leaves in the standing crop, poor germination of setts after planting, yellowing,
and drying of outer leaves followed by the inner leaves. The entire shoot dries up
and can be easily pulled out. Setts are hollow inside and may be filled with soil.

Management of subterranean pests

Cultural control
» If water stagnates in the field for 24 hours, the white grubs is likely to
emerge from the soil.
» Deep ploughing immediately after harvesting exposes the grubs.
» Implement flood irrigation at the time of planting as it helps deter termite
attacks due to excess moisture. Additionally, filling gaps in the field can
compensate for the population.

Mechanical Control
» Collect and destroy the adult beetles harbouring in nearby Neem, Ailanthus,
and Acacia trees immediately after the summer showers.
» Collect and destroy termite-affected setts from the field.

Biological Control
» Apply Beauveria brongniortii at a rate of 2.5 kg/ha (1*109 cfu/g) entomopathogenic
fungal formulation along with FYM at the time of planting in endemic regions.
70

Chemical Control
» Dip the setts in imidacloprid 70WS at 0.1% or chlorpyrifos 20 EC at 0.04%
for 5 minutes. Treat the soil with lindane 1.6 D at 50 kg/ha.

Conclusion
Sugarcane cultivation is a stable crop system in tropical India, with native pests
typically maintained below damaging levels. However, invasive pests can cause
epidemics, often due to human intervention. Effective management involves regular
monitoring and early implementation of various tactics, such as cultural practices,
mechanical and physical methods, biological controls, and chemical applications as a
last resort. Popular varieties, initially tolerant to some pests, may become susceptible
over time. Sustainable pest management requires a comprehensive approach, with
legal controls to prevent pest spread.

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