Integrated Management of Sugarcane Borers
Summary
Sugarcane cultivation worldwide is challenged by stem-boring moths that undermine stalk integrity, reduce yield and impair sugar recovery. Integrated management of sugarcane borers unites host-plant resistance, cultural practices, biological control, chemical tactics and monitoring into a cohesive framework. Resistant and tolerant cultivars with reinforced rind structure or deterrent phytochemicals limit larval establishment, while cultural measures—crop rotation, residue management, irrigation scheduling and balanced fertilisation—alter the microclimate and nutritional status to the detriment of the borer. Biological agents, including parasitoid wasps, predatory arthropods and entomopathogenic fungi or bacteria, are conserved or augmented to maintain low pest populations. Selective insecticides and insect growth regulators are deployed judiciously, guided by pheromone traps and degree-day models, to target vulnerable life stages and minimise non-target impacts. This systems approach delays resistance evolution, reduces reliance on broad-spectrum chemicals and can be tailored to regional pest complexes—from Diatraea saccharalis in the Americas to Eoreuma loftini, Chilo infuscatellus and Eldana saccharina in other sugarcane regions—thus safeguarding both yield and environmental health.
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Integrated Management of Sugarcane Borers publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in integrated management of sugarcane borers across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Integrated pest management (IPM): A decision-making framework that combines cultural, biological, chemical and host-resistance methods to maintain pest populations below economic damage thresholds.
Host plant resistance: The inherent capacity of a cultivar to deter pest feeding, oviposition or development through structural or biochemical traits.
Cultural control: Agronomic practices—such as crop rotation, residue management, irrigation and nutrient management—aimed at creating unfavourable conditions for pests.
Biological control: The use of living organisms, including parasitoids, predators and pathogens, to suppress pest populations.
Insect growth regulator (IGR): A selective chemical agent that interferes with the growth and development of insect pests, often with reduced impact on non-target species.
References
- Interaction of Cultural, Biological, and Varietal Controls for Management of Stalk Borers in Louisiana Sugarcane. Insects (2019).
- Mexican Rice Borer Control Tactics in United States Sugarcane. Insects (2019).
- Selected Abiotic and Biotic Environmental Stress Factors Affecting Two Economically Important Sugarcane Stalk Boring Pests in the United States. Agronomy (2016).
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