Agroecological Management of Stem Borers for Healthy Seed Production in Sugarcane

Abstract

Sugarcane and interspecific hybrids are the main source of raw sugar in the globe. This plant is cultivated on more than 20 million hectares in more than 100 countries such as in South America, the United States, Australia, South Africa, Southeast and Southwest Asia, and overseas territories of Europe. Sugarcane has also been considered as eco-friendly source of energy in the form of bioethanol as energy cane. Sugarcane is vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stressors which increase the cost of production. Moth stem borers are the main entomological problems in all sugarcane-producing countries except Australia. The larval stage of stem borers feeds directly on the vegetative tissues that store sucrose and therefore directly reduces yield, but larval feeding also provides sites for the introduction of disease organisms. Both forms of damage can drastically affect yield and quality. Tunneling into stalks leads to reduced growth, weakening the stalks and resulting to stalk breakage. When severely damaged, stalks may rot, apical dominance can be lost resulting in the formation of side shoots, and late tillering may occur. Efficient management of moth stem borers through agroecological pest management programs is multi-tactic and requires that several ecologically sound control methods be used. We proposed the wide range of management strategies of stem borers based on agroecological practices.