Stem Borer and Its Control

• Mainly occurs in regions where rice is grown repeatedly throughout the year  

Scientific Name - Chilo suppressalis (Walker, 1863)

Occurrence Stage - Seedling Stage, Vegetative Stage and Flowering Stage

Nature of Damage - Larvae destroy the whole plant, leaves, stems and growing points 

Damage Systoms

• Drying of central tiller during vegetative stage called Dead Heart

• Panicles emerge in white color with unfilled grains or empty grains called White Head 

• Broken stem and deformation of leaves

Best Control Measures

• Select short plant height and short duration variety to grow

• Control the date of seeding and sowing time, avoiding the time of panicle formation coincide with high armyworm density period

• Pick the clutches of eggs by hand 

• Use natural enemies such as predators and parasites

• Use egg parasitoids wasps (Telenomus spp, Tetrastichus spp, Trichogramma spp) to reduce stem borer density 

• Use egg parasitoids such as spiders and hoppers

• There is no resistant variety to stem borer

Chemical Control 

• Use systemic pesticides (Carbofurum, Chlopyriphos, etc.)

• Apply granular systemic pesticides at the base of plant at the starting time of tillering

• Spray insecticides at vegetative stage

ET (Economic Threshold)

• 2 clutches of egg per 20 hills

• 1 moth per square metre

• Presence of 10-15% of Head Heart and White Head in the field