Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds

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Summary

• Widespread distribution. Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania. On maize, including sweet corn, ginger, sorghum; also, capsicum, cotton and sugarcane.
• Eggs laid at base and underside of leaves. Caterpillars are pinkish-brown, feeding first on leaves, later, on male and female flowers. Late stages bore into the stem, and may cause a wilt. Adult is a strong flyer.
• Cultural control: remove tassels (male flowers) from 75% of the plants; resistant varieties.
• Natural enemies: parasitoid wasps. IPM program in Papua New Guinea: release of Trichogramma plasseyensis, neem sprays, and tassel removal.
• Chemical control: avoid synthetic insecticides (e.g., pyrethroids) as they will destroy natural enemies.