Major Insect Pest Of Maize :
1.Maize/ Sorghum stem borer: Chilo partellus
F:Pyralidae O:Lepidoptera.
- Most destructive pest of maize/sorghum.
- Caterpillars infect the crop usually one month after sowing.
- It cause pin holes on leaves or”dead hearts” in stem.
- The infestation may be noticed till harvesting.
- Larvae remains hibernate in maize stubbles.
Management:
- Destroy stubbles, weeds & alternate hosts.
- Application of Phorate 10 G @ 20 kg/ha or Carbofuran 3G @ 25 kg/ha.
- Release of Cotesia (Apanteles) spp
Other pests of maize:
1. Maize aphid: Rhapalosiphum maydis
F:Aphididae O:Hemiptera
2. European corn borer: Ostrinia nubilalis
F:Pyralidae O: Lepidoptera.
- (It doesn’t occur in India).
3.Asian maize borer: O. furnacalis
- present in some part of India.
4.Pink borer: Sesamia inferens
F:Noctuidae O: Lepidoptera.
- It mainly feeds on maize, rice and wheat
- It cause ‘dead heart’ on central shoot in wheat (IARI, Ph.D-04)
Major Insect Pest Of Maize Sorghum:
1.Sorghum shoot fly: Atherigona soccata
F:Muscidae O: Diptera.
- The insect attacks the young crop when it is in the six leaves stage
- six weeks after planting the crop is seldom attacked.
- Maggots feed on the main shoot and growing point is destroyed which is easily plucked out.
- The young plants show typical ‘dead hearts’ symptoms(NET 2013)
- Cloudy weather favorable the multiplication of this insect.
- It is believed that infestation is also higher in irrigated fields.
Management:
- ” Early sowing, just after the onset of monsoon. (ARS-06)
- Use of higher seed rate (NET -2012/13)
- Use of fish meal trap (NET -2012)
- Removed infested plants.
- Application of Phorate 10 G or Carbofuran 3 G @ 2.5 kg a.i. /ha at the time of sowing. (NET 13)
- Foliar application of Cartap hydrochloride a week after emergence of crop.
Other pests of sorghum:
1. Sorghum midge:Contarinia sorghicola
F: Cecidomyiidae O: Diptera.
2. Sorghum ear head bug: Calocoris angustatus
F:Miridae O: Hemiptera.
- (it laid cigar shaped eggs on sorghum leaves) JRF-06
c.Red spider mite: Oligonichus indicus
F:Tetranchydae O:Acarina (JRF, Ph. D Ento-05)
