Impact analysis of stem borer on rice

Abstract

At two stages of plant growth, namely early tillering and booting, greenhouse investigations were undertaken by artificially infesting potted rice plants with first instar larvae of Maliarpha separatela and Sesamia botanephaga Tarns and Bowden. M. separatella infestation caused a drop in plant height and the number of full grains. The quantity of filled grains and their weight were higher in uninfested plants during the booting stage. The number of productive tillers was primarily influenced by S. botanephaga infestation at both phases of plant growth. The weight of the grains was unaltered. This review paper analyses the individual hill field studies providing variable results in the case of rice.