What are the damage symptoms of yellow stem borer and how it can be managed?

The damage is caused by caterpillars as a result ‘Dead heart’ formation takes place before flowering and after flowering ‘White Ear head’ develops. The ear heads dry up and no grain formation takes place. Basmati varieties suffer heavy damage than coarse varieties.

It can be managed by clipping of tips of seedling before transplanting, removal and destruction of stubbles at first ploughing. Fields showing more than 5 % ‘dead hearts should be sprayed with 625 ml of phosphamidon or 1.4 liters of monocrotophos or 2.5 liters of chlorpyriphos.