Introduction

Sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum

Sugarcane is an important crop in many regions, it serves as a source for sugar products (sugar, jaggery, molasses) and various by-products. India is the 2nd largest producer of sugarcane in the world. A diverse array of pests and diseases endanger the quality and yield of the sugarcane, control measures and well-timed interventions supports the growers in addressing the problems. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) realizes the solution by combining biological, physical, and chemical methods to reduce the pest damage through ecology-based solutions.

Understanding IPM

IPM is a wide range approach that incorporates the mixing of many methods, strategies and practices to reduce the pest population below the economic threshold level.

Primary objectives of IPM are to: 

Minimum usage of chemical pesticides 

Improving the sustainability of agriculture systems 

Minimize the impact on environment 

Improving crop yield & quality.

Effective IPM practices for Sugarcane Cultural Practices

Agriculture practices that are used to improve the crop health and prevent diseases, pest, weed without the use of chemicals. 

Crop rotation

Growing of different crops in different seasons in the same field can help to break the lifecycle of the pests, so that the pest cannot multiply and eventually die because of food unavailability.

Selecting healthy setts while planting. 

Field hygiene

Cleaning the leftover plants from previous crops and keeping the field clean, this can avoid the spreading of diseases and pests from previous harvests.

Timing

Planning the time for planting and harvesting, so that peak periods when the insects are more active can be avoided this can help in reducing the damage to the crop.

Biological control

The use of living organisms to control or suppress the pest population.

Encouraging beneficial insects 

Conservation of bio-control agents like natural predators (spiders, syrphids …etc.) to suppress the population of the damage causing insects. 

Avoid using unwanted chemical pesticides to conserve the natural enemies

Control

Releasing 50,000 Trichogramma sp. / ha at 10 days interval 

Releasing 8-10 lakhs eggs of Epiricania / ha

Why to encourage increasing beneficial insects?

The beneficial insects will not harm the farm products, they feed on other insects available to them. When these types of insects are more in the field this will feed on the damage causing insects in the field. This can reduce the damage causing insect population, so the usage of pesticide is reduced and diseases spread by insects are reduced. 

Using Microbial insecticides

Manually picking off the pests and removing of infested plants can be done in smaller fields.

Chemical controls

Selective pesticides

Using of pesticides that targets the pests that minimize the harm to beneficial insects should be used. 

Correct application

Applying correct amount of pesticides in correct amount at correct time can improve the effectiveness of the pesticide and can reduce the negative effects.

Insect pests of Sugarcane

Early shoot borer

Internode borer

Top borer

Root grub

Termite

Sugarcane scale

Sugarcane mealy bug

Sugarcane leaf hopper

Wooly aphid

White fly

Why use IPM for Sugarcane?

Cost savings

Minimal use of pesticide can save more money 

Environmental protection

Reducing the pesticide usage prevent the air pollution, protect soil, water and other living organisms

Safer products

Reduced usage of pesticide makes the product safer for the consumer and the environment

Conclusion

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an effective approach for controlling of pests in Sugarcane farming by using different strategies and methods like promoting the beneficial insects, minimizing the usage of pesticide the pest population can be kept below the threshold level, and keep under the control without causing harm to the environment. These balanced approach makes IPM a unique component and sustainable for the future.