Sugarcane Borer Control, 1979

Insecticide sprays were applied 4 times in a 60-acre block of plant sugarcane (variety CP 61-37) located at Dugas-Leblanc Sugars near Paincourtville, Louisiana, for full-season control of SCB infestations. A randomized complete block experimental design was used with treatments replicated 6 times. Each spray concentrate was applied in water from aircraft to the sugarcane plant canopy at a rate of 2 gal finished formulation/acre/application. Insecticide applications were made after internodes were first visible above ground and whenever at least 5% of the stalks in the Guthion L treatment contained small SCB larvae in leaf sheaths. Four applications of each insecticide were made (July 14, August 3, 25, September 14). The efficacy of insecticide treatments was determined October 4, by comparing percent internodes bored in treated and untreated plots following examination of 100 stalks/plot for external signs of SCB entrance and exit holes. Non-target ground-associated arthropods were continuously sampled in 2 pitfall traps situated centrally 150 ft apart in each plot. Traps, consisting of 1 pt jars f i l l ed with 1 inch of 7 0% ethanol and 0.5 inch of mineral oil were imbedded on the row and covered by a 9 inch diam disc supported by a tripod 1 inch above the Jar and soil surface. Traps were changed triweekly and just prior to each insecticide application. Analyses of variance and orthogonal partitioning of treatments were conducted on % SCB bored internodes and season totals of arthropods collected in pitfall traps.