Symptoms of damage

• Girdling of  stems and petioles
• The inside of the stem is eaten by the larvae and a tunnel is formed inside the stem.
• The leaves of plant of infected portion are unable to get the nutrient and are dried up.
• In later stages the plant is cut at about 15 to 25 cm above the ground.

 Identification of the pest

• Larva: White, soft-bodied worm with a dark head.
• Adult:The freshly emerged adult is yellow, red, brown on the head, thorax and bases of elytra.

Management

• Deep summer ploughing
• Planting time on the onset of monsoon
• Optimum seed rate (70-100 kg/ha) should be used
• Intercropping with maize or sorghum should be avoided
• Crop rotation should be followed
• Avoid excess nitrogenous fertilizers.
• Collect and destroy infested plant parts and egg masses.
• Remove the infested plant parts at least once in 10 days and bury them in compost pit to monitor and reduce the populations of girdle beetle
• Apply phorate 10 G @ 10 kg/ha or carbofuran 3 G @ 30 kg/ha at the time of sowing.
• One or two sprays of 0.03% dimethoate 30 EC or 0.05% quinalphos 25 EC or 0.05% methyl demeton 25 EC or 0.04% can check further damage.
• Spray quinalphos 25 EC triazophos 40 EC @ 2 ml/lit. at the crop age of 30-35 days and repeal after 15-20 days (1000 l spray/ha)