Stories
Protect Sugarcane Crops From Dangerous Pests
- •Dr. Sahu warns that blackfly infestation causes black spots, leaf yellowing, and can halt sugarcane growth.
- •Farmers often mistake the small, fast-moving, light brown pest for a normal ant.
- •Pyrilla infestation is also observed; scientists advise not to destroy the white fungus-like web for natural control.
- •Recommend spraying thiamethoxam dissolved in water using power sprayers or drones for dense crops.
Key Questions Answered
In a blackfly infestation, black spots appear on sugarcane leaves, and the pests suck plant sap, which causes leaf edges to turn yellow and can eventually dry out the leaves and stop crop growth. Similarly, pyrilla pests cause damage by sucking sap from the lower surface of leaves, while their waste excretion leads to black mold development that disrupts photosynthesis.
Many farmers mistakenly identify the blackfly pest as an ordinary ant during field inspections. However, scientists note that a normal ant is relatively large and black, whereas this destructive pest is light brown, small, and fast-moving.
For sap-sucking pests, experts advise using thiamethoxam-based medicine dissolved at a rate of one gram per liter of water, applying it via power sprayers or drones depending on crop density. For pyrilla, farmers are advised not to destroy the white fungus-like web or natural beneficial insects, as they assist in natural biological control.
