Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Rice gold-fringed borer (410)

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Photo 1. Adult gold-fringed rice borer, Chilo auricilius (male).

Photo 2. Adult gold-fringed rice borer, Chilo auricilius (female).

Photo 3. Damage ('deadhearts') to rice stem by Chilo auricilius.

Photo 4. 'Whitehead' - a symptom caused by stem borers: the base of the panicle is damaged preventing it from emerging or, if already emerged, the grain is unfilled and white.

Summary

• Restricted. South and Southeast Asia, Oceania. In Papua New Guinea.
• Minor on rice; a pest of sugarcane. Also attacks sorghum, maize and wild grasses.
• Larvae tunnel through internodes of stem to the growing point, killing it; stems pull out easily (‘deadhearts’). Panicles fail to emerge, or emerge with unfilled grain (‘whiteheads’).
• Eggs (scale-like) laid in 2-5 rows, white then black. Larvae, white with five bluish-purple lines along body, dark heads. Adult forewings yellowish to brownish, with silver dots and gold fringe; hindwings light brown. Nocturnal.
• Natural enemies: many egg and larval parasitoids and predators.
• Biosecurity: introduction possible on produce contaminated with infested stems of host plants.
• Cultural control: plough land well (to bury larvae/pupae of previous crop); plant at higher density than normal; rotate, e.g., legumes; synchronise plantings with neighbours; submerge eggs by raising water occasionally; weed; apply split applications of N; harvest at ground level to remove larvae; plough in stubble, unharvested plants and weeds; use resistant (short, high tillering, early maturing) varieties.
• Chemical control: unlikely to be needed. Use abamectin. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides to preserve natural enemies.

Common Name

Rice gold-fringed borer

Scientific Name

Chilo auricilius. Another species, Chilo suppressalis (the Asiatic stem borer, or striped stem borer), occurs in Australia, but not in the rest of Oceania. It is also similar to Chilo polychrysus, which occurs in India, Indonesia and Thailand. A moth in the Crambidae.

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