What are stem borers?
A. Stem borers have been conventionally considered the most serious insect pest of rice throughout Asia. Stem borers cause severe losses during the vegetative and reproductive stages of the plant. When the vegetative tillers attacked by the stem borer larvae die, a condition known as “dead heart” results. If the attack occurs after the panicle emergence stage, the entire panicle dies without producing any grain. This condition is referred to as “white head.” Some of the most important species of stem borers are the striped borer (Chilo suppressalis), yellow borer (Tryporyza incertula), the white borer (Tryporyza innotata), the dark-headed borer (Chilotraea polychryza), and the pink borer (Sesamia inferens).
