Rice Stem borer

Rice Stem Borer - Scirpophaga incertulas

1.   Yellow rice borer:Scirpophaga incertulus: Pyraustidae : Lepidoptera

ü  Specific pest of rice, which infests the crop at all growth stages, from seedling to flowering.

ü  Adult lays 200-300 eggs in 2-3 compact masses on the leaf tip and covers the egg masses with buff-colored anal hairs.

ü  Larva: pale yellowish white in color, smooth with a well developed prothoracic shield.

ü  Mature larva covers the exit hole with a web of fine silken cocoon. The pupa is dark brown in color.

ü  The female moth has bright, yellowish brown forewings with a minute, distinct, black spot on each and an anal tuft of buff-colored or yellowish hairs. Male: pale yellow forewings and without black spot.

ü  The larva bores into the stem, above the water level and eats the inner tissues, leading to wilting and finally death of central shoot. This is referred as dead heart. It can be pulled out easily. White ear: white colored, chaffy ear heads.

Egg mass

Symptom : Dead Heart

Symptom: White ear

Adult