Integrated Pest Management In Sugarcane Muhammad Chohan Senior Scientific Officer National Sugar & Tropical Horticulture Research Institute Pakistan Agricultural Research Council

Sugarcane Sugarcane is third major crop produces 70% of world’s and 98 % of Pakistan’s sugar Share in agriculture and GDP is 3.7 and 0.8% Growing on over one million hectares with total 55 million tons Production National average cane 49.00 t ha-1 and 9.43 % recovery well below the world average (60 t ha-1 &13 %) Now widely used as bioenergy sources ( bioethanol and baggase)

Production status of countries

Province wise cane Production

Factor Responsible to decline Yield Production There are above than 50 factors are identified Amongst those Insect Pest and diseases are major and cause 20 to 30% Yield reduction Sugarcane is infested by 287 species of insect pests, fungal and viral diseases From those 14 are major pests of sugarcane.

What is IPM?  IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices.  Long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as Biological control Habitat manipulation Modification of cultural practices, resistant varieties Pesticide Used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

Crop protection mechanisms Physical procedures Mechanical, thermal, exclusions (nets, etc), radiation Biological measures Beneficial arthropods, pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi), use of antagonists, resistant cultivars, induced resistance, organic fertilizers etc. Bio-technical measures Physical and/or chemical attractants, use of pheromones, insect hormones for fertility an growth, sterile male techniques, etc. Agronomic practices Location and melioration, cultivation, crop rotation, elimination of inoculums sources, or alternative and intermediate hosts, proper seeding and planting, etc. Plant quarantine Import and export control, intermediate quarantine, post-import quarantine, etc. Chemical measures Application of chemical materials onto plants, soils or seeds. fungicides, nematicides, insecticides, herbicides, bio-regulators etc

Economic Threshold of some major pests Pest Mode Threshold level Whitefly 5-8 nymph per leaf Pyrilla 3-5individuals / leaf or one egg mass 1 leaf+ Top Borer 10-15 % Stem borer 7-10 % Early shoot borer 12-22.8 % Internode Borer 16-28 %

The cryptic habits of damaging stage i.e larvae make them less amendable to the offences of insecticides indiscriminate use of which create several problems

Mode of damage Sugarcane borers cause economic damage to our crops is a serious threat to economy of Pakistan

Borer Complex attack symptom

White Fly

Sugarcane Yield production Losses due to Insect pest attack Pest Mode Cane Yield Reduction (%) Sugar recovery Reduction (%) Mealy Bug 35 (germination) Brix Loss 16.2 Root Borer 35 0.3-2.9 Stem Borer 33 1.7-3.07 Top Borer 21-37 0.2-4.1 Whitefly 80 1.4-1.8 Pyrilla 14.7 2.0-3.0 Black Bug 31.6 0.1-2.8 Termite 22.27 4.5

Integrated management schedule before & at planting Crop stage / period Target insect pest Control measures Selection of seed crop Borers, mealy bug , scale insect and fungal or viral Seed material should preferably be taken from a healthy crop. No seed should be taken from a crop having pest incidence above 20 per cent Selection of seed pieces Borers, mealy bug scale insect and disesaes Borer and fungal or viral infested seed setts should not be used for planting Pre-planting (seed treatment ) Borers, mealy bug and scale insect Heat therapy followed by dipping setts in fungicides (0.1% solution.) White grubs Two to three extra ploughing to expose white grubs for predation in endemic areas. At planting Termites and shoot borers Application of insecticide @ 1 kg a.i./ha over the cane setts in 1600 to 1800 litres of water

Integrated management schedule after Planting Crop stage / period Target insect pest Control measures Pre-monsoon (March-June) Shoot, root and top borers Removal of egg-masses and infested shoots from the ground level. Copious irrigation and trash mulching. Avoid irrigation at the peak period of top borer moth emergence during summer. Shoot borer Release of Sturmiopsis inferens  Spray granulosis Top borer (i.) Soil application of ganular pesticide (ii.) Release of Isotima javensis  Black bug Whorl application of Endosulphan emulsion @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha or Endosulphan 5 G@12 kg/ha Pyrilla 1. Removal and destruction of two lower most leaves bearing egg-masses during April/ May 2. Release of 4000-5000 cocoons and 4 to 5 lakhs eggs of Epiricania melanoleuca per hectare during July-August. Scales and aphids Spraying of the crop with 0.08 percent dimethoate or 1.0 percent Malathion after detrashing Mites Spraying the crop with Kelthane (0.1%)/ chlorfenvin/ monocroptophos (0.4%)

Integrated management schedule after Planting Crop stage / period Target insect pest Control measures Monsoon and Post-monsoon (July-January) Internode borer Field release of Trichogramma chilonisadults@ 50,000/ha or 3.5 cc. parasitized Corcoran eggs/ha at fortnightly intervals regularly from the start of borer activity until a month before harvest All types Detrashing the crop from August through October at monthly intervals White flies 1. Avoid rationing in low lying areas. Spraying with monocroptophos solution @0.3 kg a.i./ha or Endosulphan @ 1.5 lit/ha. Stalk borer Two sprayings of monocroptophos @ 0.75 kg a.i./ha at monthly intervals during September and October after detrashing dry leaves. Gurdaspur borer Regular collection and destruction of infested tops from July till October.

Integrated management schedule at harvesting Crop stage / period Target insect pest Control measures At harvest Application to most of the pests 1.Harvesting the crop form the ground level. 2. Removal of late and water shoots. 3.Burning trash and left over dry canes. immediately after harvesting

Parasitization of T. Chilonis at different distance

Suitable Parasitoids (Tricho cards) release location

Best Management Practices (BMPs) developed for sugarcane (FAO) Use economic threshold levels of pest insects to determine the need for control. Monitor insects periodically through scouting to determine when threshold numbers are exceeded. Use only appropriately labeled rates of chemical insecticides and at a time when the weather conditions most likely will help to achieve the best control without environmental harm. Plant insect-resistant varieties and take other appropriate management actions to further reduce insecticide usage, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas. Develop and implement management systems with narrow-range, minimum-risk insecticide chemistry.

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