UTILIZATION OF NATURAL ENEMIES FOR THE CONTROL OF INSECT PESTS OF SUGARCANE

Successful attempts made for biological control of sugar-cane pests by introduction, redistribution, conservation and augmentation are discussed. In Pakistan, Apanteles flavipes (Cameron) became established on Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), following its introduction from Japan, but it seldom attacked sugar-cane borers. Sugar-cane-adapted strains were introduced which became established in Punjab and NWFP, but were not recovered after winter in Sind. A hybrid between sugar-cane-adapted strain and strain found locally on maize borer, was released. This resulted in its establishment. In Sumatra (Indonesia), a local strain of A. flavipes was being encapsulated in Chilo auricilius Dudgeon. Following introduction of its strain from Thailand, it is giving very high parasitism of C. auricilius and C. sacchariphagus (Bojer). A parasitoid, Epiricania metanoleuca (Fletcher) is giving excellent control of sugar-cane Pyrilla perpusilla (Walker) in NWFP following its redistribution from the Punjab and in Sind after redistribution from the Punjab and NWFP. In Sind it is also being controlled by conserving its egg parasitoid Parachrysocharis javensis (Grault) by keeping some trash unburnt near the fields. In Sind, infestation of Chilo infuscatellus Snellen was reduced to sub-economic level by augmentative releases of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii in March as soon as the pest started laying eggs.