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Sci Tech
Management of banana pseudostem borer
Banana Pseudostem borer is a serious pest in banana plantations of Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The pest breeds throughout the year but is more active during summer and monsoon.
The weevil lays cylindrical, yellowish white eggs. Grubs are soft, fleshy, wrinkled and sparsely covered with brown hairs of varying lengths.
Pupae are pale yellow in colour. Adult weevils are chocolate black in colour, with pointed head.
Lifecycle
The lifecycle occupies 3-5 days for eggs, 20-26 days for grub and 20-24 days for pupa during summer months and a little longer period for these stages during winter.
Adult weevil keeps their eggs in air chambers through slits cut on leaf sheaths.
On hatching, the grubs start feeding on tissues around the air chambers of leaf sheath and then bore inside the pseudo stems making them weak.
Ultimately, the trees also break down with a strong blast of wind. Other symptoms noted are gummation on the pseudo stem, yellowing and drying of lower leaves and drooping of dried leaves,
Pest management
— Keep the garden clean by properly disposing of the trees after harvest.
— During cropping, periodically remove the dried leaves and leaf sheaths which may harbour the adult weevils.
— Remove the side suckers up to 8 months to prevent the harbourage of adult weevils.
— Pseudostem injection of diluted monocrotophos can be followed. Monocrotophos (150ml) is mixed with water (350ml).
This diluted insecticide is injected into the pseudo stem in 2 sites: one at 2 feet from the ground level and another on the opposite side at 5 feet from the ground level.
For the injection, modified pseudo stem injector can be used.
The needle of the injector has to be inserted 1-1/2 inches deep, downwards at 45 degree angle with the pseudo stem.
The trees can be injected up to 8 months of planting. After flowering injection of insecticide should be avoided.
S. Sridharan
Professor of Agricultural Entomology
KVK, TNAU,
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
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