CONTROL STRATEGY FOR RICE STEM BORER IN WHEAT CROP BY THE MANAGEMENT OF RICE STRAW

Abstract

Wheat is an important economic crop and major staple food all over the world including Pakistan. Among rice pests, the rice pink stem borer (Sesamia inferens Walker) has been reported on wheat crop for the last many years resulting in whiteheads in the wheat crop. This study was planned to determine the effect of rice straw management on the incidence of S. inferens on wheat crop in the rice-wheat cropping pattern of Multan, Punjab. There were five treatments including wheat sowing on non-rice field, zero tillage after burning rice stubbles, zero tillage without burning rice stubbles, rotavator after burning rice stubbles, and rotavator without burning rice stubbles. The results revealed that the maximum number of tillers/m² (708) was produced in zero tillage after burning rice stubbles. The maximum incidence (1.75%) of S. inferens was observed in zero tillage without burning rice stubbles. In conclusion, the appropriate management of rice stubbles has an important role in the management of S. inferens in the wheat crop. The results proved that using a rotavator as a tillage tool before the sowing of the wheat crop has remarkably reduced the incidence of S. inferens. The burning of stubbles was statistically at par with zero tillage with the highest infestation and environmentally hazardous. Therefore, the destruction of rice stubbles through rotavator is the most effective tool against S. inferens.