Best Control Methods of Sugarcane Borers

1. CULTURAL CONTROL
   1. Sowing of clean seed of improved and tolerant sugarcane varieties.
   2. Strong earthing up.
   3. Balanced fertilization.
   4. Irrigation at 10 days interval during April-June
   5. Irrigation at 20 days interval during July-September.
   6. Harvesting of crop at ground level.
2. Mechanical Control
• Rogueing of borer inested plants during April-September.
3. Biological Control
   • Release of parasite and predators i.e. Trichogramma @ 20000 to 40000 parasitized eggs per acre and Chrysoperla @ 1000 to 2000 parastized eggs per acre. These should be used at 10-15 days interval during March/April to October/November.
4. Chemical Control
   • Apply Furadan or Curator granules @ 1-2 gm on the cut base of rogued plant (dead heart) before irrigation and 8 Kg/acre to ratoon infested plant crop before earthing up during May/June.

Best Control Methods of Pyrilla

1. Cultural Control
   1. Growing varieties with thin and erect leaves.
   2. Less ratooning.
   3. Trees, especially Poplar around/near the sugarcane field should not be grown.
   4. Avoid prolonged standing crop in the field.
2. Mechanical
   1. Crusting of egg masses during April/May.
   2. Collection of nymphs/adult with hand nets and kill them.
   3. Burning of trash in the fields of severe infestation after harvest but leaving some in bundle nearby for the protection of natural enemies i.e. parasites and predators.
3. Biological
• Release parasites/predators i.e. Epipyrops and Chrysoperla @ 1000 to 5000 per acre during April to September/October at 15 days interval.
4. Chemical
   • If needed, spray Lorsban 40 EC @ 1-2 liters per acre or Bifenthrin EC @ 250-500 ml per acre during April to September.

Best Control Methods of Termites

1. Cultural Control
   1. Sugarcane should not be grown on elevated dry soils.
   2. More irrigation should be provided in termites infested area.
   3. Field should be ploughed deeply at least once before planting sugarcane
   4. Seed rate should be increased
   5. Poplar trees shouldn't be grown around and inside the field
   6. Uneven fields should be levelled.
   7. Channels should be dug out on the road and poplar sides and kept filled with water during the irrigation in summer months.
   8. Avoid the use of fresh farm yard manures
   9. Calotropic leaves/shoots etc. should be used in irrigaton water.
   10. Turmeric should be grown around the fields
2. Chemical/Mechanical
   1. Lorsban 40EC @ 500 ml should be sprayed in furrows during planting burrying the cane setts especially in September plantation.
   2. Seed should be treated for half an hour in lime water prepared overnight.
   3. Seedlings should be treated with Lorsban or Tenakill or Talstar or Reagent EC in irrigation water.
   4. Swarming of a late reproductive form should be killed by light traps placed over poisoned water at dusk after rain in summer months.
   5. During swarming in July, the termites colonies should be traced out and destroyed it with Kerosine oil or insecticides.
   6. Wooden dry sticks/traps (1.5 ft) especially poplar should be fired or stacked around the field and termites collected be treated with insecticides and the sticks be installed again.
   7. It should be repeated once a week in summer months.
   8. Plastic traps should be used @ 12-16 per acre at distance of 10 meters in and around the fields.
   9. Holes should be dug out in fields at 5-10 meters and poisoned with insecticides once a month to poison the sub-soil.
   10. Copper sulphate @ 3-4 Kg per acre should be applied in irrigation water.
3. Biological
   1. Aerial spray should be avoided for conservation of bio-control agents like lizards, toads and birds.