Sugarcane Top Shoot Borer

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Diagnostic Methodsfor

Sugarcane Top Shoot BorerScirpophaga excerptalis

Last Updated: 5 March 2010 | PDF Made Date: 9 May 2010 | page 1 / 28


IntroductionInsect species feeding on sugarcane are diverse, numerous and of limited geographical distribution. Of particular importance are the moth borers, which are key pests in most of the world's sugar industries. The top borers attack the youngest part of the plant top, and usually destroy the growing point. Young stalks die, whereas older stalks often die or produce side shoots and sucrose content is usually adversely affected.

This species is present in Queensland.



BiologyStages of DevelopmentAdult females of S. excerptalis lay their eggs in masses on the lower surfaces of the leaves. Studies in India suggested that collecting egg masses mechanically during the first and second broods is an economic method to reduce the damage caused by the 3rd generation.

Females cover their eggs with hairs derived from the anal tuft.

The young larvae tunnel through the unexpanded leaves and cause a series of holes to appear across the blade of the unfolded leaf.

Old, infested plants show irregular, yellow patches on the underside of some leaves. The larvae attack the growing point and continue to tunnel into the main stem of the plant.

The 3rd generation causes the highest losses in cane yield, sucrose and commercial sugar.

Host RangeScirpophaga excerptalis is mainly a pest of sugarcane. Other hosts include: Chloris barbata, Echinochloa colon,Eleusine corocana, Erianthus arundinaceum, E. munja, E. ravennae, Imperata cylindrica, Ischaeum rugosum, Mangifera indica (mango), Miscanthus sinesis, Naranga prophyrocoma, Oryza sativa (rice), Panicum sp., Pennisetum purpureum, Phragmites longivalvis, Saccharum bengalense, Saccharum spontaneum (sugarcane), Sclerostachya fusca, Sorghum bicolour, and Sorghum halepenseI (Johnson grass), Triticum (wheat), Typha copensis (Sallam and Allsopp 2003, Khanzada 1992, CABI Crop Compendium 2008).

DistributionBangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam (Sallam and Allsopp, 2003).



Present in Queensland (CABI Crop Compendium 2008).

TransmissionReadily transmitted on infected planting material.

EffectScirpophaga excerptalis is considered to be a major pest of sugarcane in many parts of India. Reductions in yield and sugar contents of up to 51% and 2.0 units, respectively, have been recorded in Indian cane fields (Sallam and Allsopp 2003).

Risk AnalysisPest Risk Analysis

(Source: Threat Summary Tables- Sugar, Plant Health Australia)

http://svc218.wic010v.server-web.com/project_documents/TST/viewTST.asp?page=4&ID=48&filter=1 &records=10&sort=1&order=1

Entry Potential: HIGH - close to commercial Australian areas and readily transmitted on infected planting material. - Plant Health Australia assessment.

Establishment Potential: HIGH, depends on biotype present. - Plant Health Australia assessment.



Spread Potential: HIGH, depends on biotype present. - Plant Health Australia assessment.







Entry Potential

The most likely means of entry of Scirpophaga excerptalis into Australia would be by the introduction of infested planting material. The potential for the introduction of moths or eggs on aircraft, in baggage, or on people is much smaller, though still significant.



TaxonomyClassificationKingdom Animala Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Lepidoptera Family Crambidae Genus Scirpophaga Species excerptalis

Name and SynonymsScirpophaga excerptalis Walker, 1863

Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker, 1863

Scirpophaga monostigma Zeller 1863

Scirpophaga butyrota Meyrick 1889

Scirpophaga intacta Snellen 1890

Scirpophaga excerptalis (Walker): Hampson 1895

Scirpophaga chrysorrhoa Zeller sensu Hampson 1895 (misidentification)



Scirpophaga auriflua Zeller: sensu Hampson 1895 (misidentification

Topeutis rhodoproctalis Hampson 1919

Topeutus intacta

Scirpophaga xanthogastrella (Walker): sensu Fletcher and Gosh 1920 (misidentification)

Scirpophaga nivella (F.): sensu Shibuya 1928 (misidentification)

Tryporyza butyrota Meyrick): Common 1960

Tryporyza nivella(F.): sensu Butani 1979 (misidentification)

Tryporyza intacta Snellen Tryporyza monostigma

Tryporyza rhodoproctalis

Chilo excerptalis Walker



Common names:

Top borer

Sugar cane top borer

Top shoot borer

White top borer

Taxonomic DescriptionOriginal taxonomic description

Joannis, J. de. (1913). Mimicry among Lepidoptera. Bull. Soc. Entom. de-France. 2(5): 137 - 139.

Identification KeysSallam, M.S., Allsopp, P.G. 2008. BSES MN08004 Scirpophaga spp. Incursion Management Plan. Ver. 2, November 2008 (see attached document)

http://www.bses.org.au/IncuManaPlan/MN08004.pdf

Note: see Appendix 5 for identification key (shown below).



The following is a key to Asian species of economic importance in the genus Scirpophaga based on Arora

(2000):

1. Forewing with the vein R1 anastomosed with Sc.......................................................... 2

- Forewing with the vein R1 free from Sc........................................................................ 5

2. Forewings upperside ochreous in both sexes; hindwing with the frenulum spine single in male, double fused in female. Labial palpi twice the diameter of eye. Anal tufts in female ochreous white ...............................................................Scirpophaga whalleyi Lewvanich

- Forewings upperside ochreous only in male, or white in both sexes; hindwings with the frenulum spines single in both sexes.............................................................................. 3

3. Forewings upperside ochreous white to yellowish in male, white in female; underside fuscous in male, white in female. Labial palpi about 2.5 times the diameter of eye. Anal tufts in female yellowish ...................................................... Scirpophaga xanthogastrella (Walker)

- Forewings upper and underside white in both sexes. Labial palpi 1.5 times the diameter of eye ......4.

Anal tufts orange red in female ........................................ Scirpophaga excerptalis (Walker)



- Anal tufts yellowish in female ....................................... Scirpophaga magnella de Joannis

5. Forewings upperside ochreous yellow in male, with, or without spots on submedian area and lower angle; with an oblique series of spots from apex in male, ochreous yellow or whitish in female, with or without spot at lower angle..................................................................... 6

- Forewing upperside pale ochreous or white in both sexes, without any markings .............. 8

6. Labial palpi much longer, about 3-4 times the diameter of eye, and porrect. Forewings with the vein R1 curved, running close to Sc, sometimes touching it; upperside ochreous in both sexes; hindwing with the frenulum spine double in female; anal tufts pale ochreous in female

..................................................................................... Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker)

- Labial palpi shorter, not more that twice the diameter of eye. Forewings with the vein R1 running close to Sc, without touching it; upperside whitish in female; hindwing with the frenulum spine single or double in female ...................................................................... 7

7. Labial palpi 1.3 times the diameter of eye. Hindwings with the frenulum spine double in female. Anal tufts ochreous yellowish in female ................................Scirpophaga nivella (F.)

- Labial palpi 1.5 times the diameter of eye. Hindwings with the frenulum spine single in female. Anal tufts greyish in female ......................................Scirpophaga gilviberbis Zeller

8. Labial palpi about twice the diameter of eye. Hindwings with the frenulum spine double in female. Anal tufts whitish in female .......................................Scirpophaga innotata (Walker)



- Labial palpi equal to diameter of eye. Hindwings with the frenulum spine single in both sexes. Anal tufts whitish to pale ochreous in female ................................................................. 9

9. Specimens larger .......................................................... Scirpophaga fusciflua Hampson

- Specimens smaller ...........................................................Scirpophaga virginia Schultze

ExpertsMohamed Nader Said Sallam - BSES Meringa ph. 07 4056 1255 Peter Allsopp - BSES Indooroopilly ph. 07 3331 3316 Peter Samson - BSES Mackay ph. 4954 5100 Keith Chandler - BSES Meringa ph. 07 4056 1255

Dr N. Munkuthan, Principal Scientist and Head of Entomology - Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India. Phone 0422 2472621/625, email: [email protected]

Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India - Staff List:

http://sugarcane-breeding.tn.nic.in/research.htm



DetectionDetection MethodScirpophaga excerptalis adult moths are characterised by both wings being white in both sexes on both upper and lower sides. Females have characteristic orange-red anal tufts not found in any other Scirpophaga species. R1 vein is anastomised with Sc in forewings and frenulum spine is single in females (Sallam and Allsopp, 2003).

Figure 1. Sugarcane Top Shoot Borer adult.(http://pikul.lib.ku.ac.th/insect/)



Figure 2. Larva of Sugarcane Top Shoot Borer (http://pikul.lib.ku.ac.th/insect/)

Symptom DescriptionCommon symptoms of infestation are the appearance of parallel rows of 'shot holes' on leaves, a red streak caused by mining the inside of the midrib, dead hearts and a bunchy top appearance of shoots (Sallam and Allsopp 2003).



IdentificationMorphological MethodsHead with the fons smooth; labial palpi correct, about 1.5 times the diameter of the compound eye, sometimes slightly longer but never more than twice the diameter of the eye; ocelli present, small; antennae simple in both sexes, profusely ciliated in males, sparsely in females, about half the length of forewing-costa in males and two-fifths the length females. Hind wing with frenulum single in both sexes.

Male:

Head with the frons white, labial palpi white, sometimes suffused with fuscous (Fig. 3); antennae generally dark. Thorax upper side white, underside pale ochreous, suffused with fuscous; legs generally white on inner side, fuscous on outer side generally throughout up to claws, particularly on forelegs, fuscous suffusion sometimes reduced in tibia of mid- and hind legs. Abdomen white on upper side, pale ochreous on underside. Wings slightly shining white on upper side, pale ochreous on underside, sometimes suffused with fuscous, without or with a dark prominent spot at lower angle of cell in forewing.

Figure 3. Adult male Scirpophaga excerptalis. Image: A. Sasaki



http://www.jpmoth.org/Crambidae/Schoenobiinae/M1Scirpophaga_excerptalis.jpg

Female:

As in male except that legs are more shining white, with less of fuscous suffusion on underside. Anal tufts brilliant orange-red (Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Adult female Scirpophaga excerptalis. Image: A. Sasaki

http://www.jpmoth.org/Crambidae/Schoenobiinae/M1Scirpophaga_excerptalis.jpg

Forewing:

Vein R1 anastomised fully with Sc, arising almost in line with Cu1b below; R2 a little before upper angle of cell; R3 + R4 stalked, the stalk generally shorter than R4 which is longer than R3; R5 from below the upper angle of cell; M1 below R5; M2-M3 very close to each other but not connate; Cu1a slightly before



lower cell angle, close to M3 and in line with the origin of R2 above; Cu1b from before the cell angle and Cu1a.

Hind wing:

Sc free till about cell angle, beyond which it is anastomised with Rs for halfway toward margin; M1 from cell angle; M2-M3, Cu1a, Cu1b as in forewing.

Sallam, M.S., Allsopp, P.G. 2008. BSES MN08004 Scirpophaga spp.Incursion Management Plan. Ver. 2, November 2008.


Potentially misidentified species

Scirpophaga excerptalis has for a long time been erroneously referred to as S. nivella.

The two species can be differentiated based on the following set of characters:

Character S. excerptalis S. nivella



Labial palpi

1.5-2 times eye diameter

1.3 times eye diameter

Vein R1 Anastomised with Sc in forewing

Free

Frenulum spine-female Single

Double

Anal tufts in female

Orange-red

Ochreous

Male forewing

White

Ochreous, with oblique band of

Spots from apex



Further InformationContactsMohamed Nader Said Sallam - BSES Meringa ph. 07 4056 1255 Peter Allsopp - BSES Indooroopilly ph. 07 3331 3316 Peter Samson - BSES Mackay ph. 4954 5100 Keith Chandler - BSES Meringa ph. 07 4056 1255

Dr N. Munkuthan, Principal Scientist and Head of Entomology - Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India. Phone 0422 2472621/625, email: [email protected]

Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India - Staff List:

http://sugarcane-breeding.tn.nic.in/research.htm

AcknowledgementsDraft protocol written by Julianne Farrell, Agri-Science Queensland.

Email: [email protected]

ReferencesAbdullah, M, Biswas, M.M., Rahman, M.A. 2006. Evaluation of botanical products against some major insect pests of sugarcane. Planter, 82(964): 463 - 469.

CABI Crop Protection Compendium 2008. - Scirpophaga excerptalis



http://www.cabi.org/cpc/default.aspx?site=161&page=868&loadmodule=datasheet&compid=1&aqb=ye s&dsid=49051

Jaipal, S. 1992. Susceptibility of some sugarcane accessions and cultivars to major moth borers. Annals of Applied Biology, 120:120 - 121. Suppl. S.

Jaipal, S. 2000. An IPM module for the management of major insect pests of sugarcane in Indian subtropics. Sugar Technology, 2(3): 1 - 8.

Khanzada, A.G. 1992. An exhaustive review of research work on sugarcane top borer (Scirophaga excerptalis Wlk. and Scirpophaga novella F. Lepidoptera: Pyraustidae). Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 8 (5): 529 - 539.

Kundu, R., Alam, M.A., Begum, M. et al. 1996. The dispersion pattern of sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyrilidae). Bangladesh Journal of Entomology, 6(1-2): 73 - 83.



Lewanich, A. 1981. A revision of the Old World species of Scirpophaga (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology, 42(4): 185 - 298.

Madan, Y.P., Singh, D., Singh, M. 1999. Extent of damage, losses and control of sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker. (Pyrillidae: Lepidoptera). Indian Sugar, 48(11): 915 - 920.

Mann, R.S., Suri, K.S., Sharma, S. 2006. Population dynamics of insect pests of sugarcane in Punjab. Indian Journal of Plant Protection, 34(2): 198 - 201.

Mukunthan, N. 1985. New aspects in the biology of sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga (Nivella F) excerptalis Wlk. Entomon, 10(3): 235 - 238.

Mukunthan, N. 1989. Life-tables of sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis Wlk.

Insect Science and its Application, 10(3): 269 - 276.



Mukunthan, N., David, H., Easwaramoorthy, S. et el. 1986. The top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker. Sugarcane Entomology in India, pp 93 - 119.

Mukunthan, N., Mohanasundaram, M. 1996. The development of top borer in different host plants. Sugar Cane, 6: 11 - 13.

Munir, M., Afzal, M., Ali Chattha, A. 2008. Screening of early and medium/late maturing sugarcane varieties/lines against borer complex infestation in central Punjab, Pakistan. Journal of Agricultural Research, 46(4): 373 - 378.

http://www.jar.com.pk/pdf/2008/4-46-9.pdf

Pandey, K.P, Singh, R.G. 1997. Integrated management of top borer, Scipophaga excerptalis in sugarcane. Indian Sugar, 46(10): 803 - 804.

Pandey, V., Solanki, O.P. 2007. Effect of insecticides alone and in combination with mechanical



measures against sugarcane top borer in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Indian Sugar, 57(8): 29 - 33.

Pandya, H.V., Patel, C.B., Patel, K.K. et al. Study on population dynamics of sugarcane top borer in Gujarat. Cooperative Sugar, 29(9): 633 - 634.

Pandya, H.V., Patel, M.B. 2007. Effect of partitioned growth stage protection on incidence of sugarcane borers in Gujarat. Cooperative Sugar, 38(9): 41 - 44.

Rajendran, B., Giridharan, S. 2003. Incidence of sugarcane top borer and its natural field parasitisation. Indian Sugar, 53(1): 37 - 39.

Sallam, M.S., Allsopp, P.G. 2008. BSES MN08004 Scirpophaga spp.Incursion Management Plan. Ver. 2, November 2008.




Sallam, M.S., Allsopp, P.G. 2005: Our home is girt by sea - but how well are we prepared in Australia for exotic cane borers? Proceedings of the 2005 Conference of the Australian Society for Sugar Cane Technologists, Bundaberg, 3 - 6 May 2005. pp 358 - 366.

Sallam, M.S. 2006. A review of sugarcane stem borers and their natural enemies in Asia and Indian Ocean Island: an Australian perspective. Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France, 42(3-4): 263 283.

Sardana, H.R., Das, D.K. 2001. Weather-based modelling of sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker. Indian Journal of Entomology, 63(3): 345 - 349.

Singh, S, Dixit, A., Singh, D.N. 1999. Spatial distribution of egg masses of Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker on leaves of sugarcane crop. Proceedings of the 61st Annual Convention of the Sugarcane Technologists' Association of India, New Delhi, India, 7-9 September, 1999. pp a50-a55.

Singh, M., Singh, R.A. (1997. Losses due to top borer Scirpophaga excerptalis Wlk. In sub tropical India. Indian Sugar, 46(10): 799 - 801.



Singh, S., Dixit, A., Singh, S.B. et al. 2002. Naturally occurring key mortality factors of top borer ( scirpophaga exerptalis Wlk.) in sugarcane ratoon in U.P.

Proceedings of the 64th Annual Convention of the Sugar Technologists' Association of India, Cochin (Kerala), India, 17th-19th August 2002. pp. A69-A84.

Singh, G., Shenhmar, M., Singh, S.P. 2005. The incidence of top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker in different varieties and crop types of sugarcane in Punjab. Indian Journal of Ecology, 32(1): 1 - 3.

Singh, M., Singh, R.S., Singh, S.B. 2002. Top borer (Scirpophaga excerptalis Wlk.) infestation in different varieties of sugarcane. Indian Sugar, 52(6): 431 - 433.

Singla, M.L. Duhra, M.S., Aulakh, M.S. 1988. Varietal resistance in sugarcane to Scirpophaga excerptalis Wlk. And odontotermes spp. Journal of Insect Science, 1(1): 99-101.



Tanwar, R.K., Varma, A. 1997. Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker infestation in relation to its natural parasitoids and sugarcane cultivars in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Journal of Zoology, 17(1): 33-37.

Plant Health Australia - Threat Summary Tables

http://svc218.wic010v.server-web.com/project_documents/TST/viewTST.asp?page=4&ID=48&filter=1 &records=10&sort=1&order=1


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Sugarcane Top Shoot Borer