Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet EditionSugarcane pink borer (278)
Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet EditionSugarcane pink borer (278)
Summary
- Narrow distribution. Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. On sugarcane and relatives, and grasses. A major pest.
- Eggs laid on young cane. Larvae bore together into the stalk killing the shoot, then migrate, boring into other stems.
- Damage attracts weevil borer (see Fact Sheet no. 241). Stems break in winds.
- Spread by flight and in cane.
- Natural enemies: wasp parasitoids.
- Cultural control: plant March-May; borer-free setts; resistant varieties; avoid excessive N; rogue plants with dead shoots; avoid burning, leave as mulch.
- Chemical control: synthetic pyrethroids, based on pheromone monitoring; also used to treat setts.
Common Name
Pink sugarcane borer, Ramu shoot borer, sugarcane borer
Scientific Name
Sesamia grisescens
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Dossiers on Sesamia species as pests of sugarcane. Sugarcane Research Australia. (http://www.sugarresearch.com.au/icms_docs/163514_Sesamia_spp_Dossier.pdf); and from Young GR, Kuniata LS (1992) A major pest of sugarcane endemic to Papua New Guinea: A constant threat to the Australian sugar industry. (http://sesamiagrisescens.weebly.com/morphology.html); and CABI (2012) Sesamia grisescens (Pink sugarcane borer). Crop Protection Compendium. (www.cabi.org/cpc). Photo 1 Korowi KT, Samson PR (2013) Screening for borer resistance among sugarcane clones in Papua New Guinea, 2010-2012. Proc Aust Soc Sugar Cane Technol vol 35, pp 9. Photo 2 Walker K (2011) Ramu shoot borer (Sesamia grisescens). PaDIL - (https://www.padil.gov.au).
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
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