Pseudostem borer: Odoiporus longicollis
Symptoms of damage:
- Grub bore into pseudostem making tunnels
- Cutting holes on outer surface
- Exudation of plant sap-initial symptom and blackened mass comes out from the bore hole
- Tunneled part decomposes and pseudostem wilts
Identification of pest:
- Eggs: Laid at random on cut ends of pseudostem, yellowish-white, cylindrical in shape
- Grub: Apodous, creamy white with dark brown head
- Pupa: Pale yellow colour, fibrous cocoon formed inside the tunneling on the periphery
- Adult: Robust, reddish brown and black weevil
Management:
- Remove dried leaves periodically and keep the field clean
- Prune the side suckers every month
- Use healthy and pest free suckers to check the pest incidence
- Do not dump infested materials into manure pit
- Uproot infested trees, chop into pieces and burn
- Use longitudinally split pseudostem trap at 65/ha
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal.
