Management of sugarcane stem borer chilo infuscatellus (Snellen) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) through trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and selective use of insecticides

Studies regarding the management of sugarcane stem borer,chilo infuscatellus through different release levels of trichogramma chilonis (ishii) and selective use of insecticides i.e. corbofuran 3g @ 8 kg/acre and thimet 5g @ 10 kg/acre in comparison with t. chilonis were carried out in two different experiments,in the sugarcane fields of the research farm khyber pakhtunkhwa agricultural university peshawar,during 2008. in the first experiment regarding the different release levels of t. chilonis i.e. single release (t1,@ 8 trichocards/acre),double release (t2,@ 16 trichocards/acre),triple release (t3,24 trichocards/acre) quadruple release (t4,32 trichocards/acre) and t5 (control,no release). highest mean percent parasitism (62.60%) and lowest mean percent infestation (1.25%) of the sugarcane stem borer was observed in quadruple release plot (t4). it was followed by the triple release plot (t3),with mean percent parasitism of 52.74% and percent infestation of 1.57%. in the 2nd experiment regarding the use of t. chilonis in comparison with insecticides in the treated plots,highest mean percent parasitism (66.61%) and lowest mean percent infestation (0.49%) of the sugarcane stem borer was observed in the quadruple release of trichocards. increased yield (46.29 tones / ha) was also recorded in the quadruple release of trichocards. both insecticides showed statistically same response in percent infestation of sugarcane stem borer and also yield of sugarcane,while higher percent parasitism was recorded in the carbofuran 3g treated plots as compared with the thimet 5g treated plots. based on these results trichocards (@32 trichocards/acre) are recommended for the management of sugarcane stem borer instead of insecticides. moreover,this practice may have significant role to protect the environment and conserve the natural resources from insecticides contamination.© 2013 zoological society of pakistan.