The sugarcane stem borer is a major stem-boring pest of sugarcane and sorghum, and control should target the newly hatched larval stage.

The sugarcane stem borer is a stem-boring pest of the family Pyralidae, order Lepidoptera, commonly known as the sugarcane stem borer or sorghum stem borer, and it is widely distributed in China. It mainly damages gramineous crops such as sugarcane, sorghum and corn, and its larvae bore into the stalks to feed, making it one of the targets that require key prevention and control in production.

The adult sugarcane stem borer is a grayish-yellow moth, with several longitudinal fine lines on the forewings and often a row of small black dots along the outer margin; it mostly rests quietly among the leaves or leaf sheaths during the day and becomes active at night. Newly hatched larvae first feed on the leaf flesh at the heart leaf, forming irregular transparent patches or rows of small holes, and only after growing a little larger do they bore into the stem to cause damage. Damage at the seedling stage readily produces deadheart seedlings, while damage to grown plants forms bored nodes, which not only reduces yield but also affects the sugar content and quality of sugarcane.

In warm regions, the sugarcane stem borer can produce multiple generations a year, with obvious overlapping of generations. Adults have a certain phototaxis, and eggs are mostly laid on leaves or leaf sheaths; mature larvae often pupate inside damaged stems or among leaf sheaths. Residual sugarcane stubble and remnant stalks in the field are important overwintering sources of the pest, and if not dealt with in time, they often become the root of trouble for the next season.

Control of the sugarcane stem borer should be based on agricultural measures. Timely clearing of remnant stalks and sugarcane stubble after harvest and reasonable leaf stripping can significantly reduce the overwintering pest population. At the same time, biological methods such as light trapping of adults, release of Trichogramma, or use of sex attractants can be used in combination. Chemical control should seize the peak hatching period of the ant larvae for application; at this time the larvae have not yet bored into the stems, so the effect is better. Only by coordinating multiple measures and grasping the timing of control can the damage of the sugarcane stem borer be kept at a relatively low level.